Life's Song
by QuixoticQuest
Summary: At the end of another long school year, just a year post the events of "W-War," Nita and Kit find themselves thrown into a new level of wizardry that not even they have seen or experienced before, and events that even the Powers hadn't foreseen...
1. Introduction and AN

Premise: At the end of another long school year, just a year post the events of "W-War," Nita and Kit find themselves thrown into a new level of wizardry that not even they have seen or experienced before, and events that the Powers hadn't foreseen...

Yo! It's Don, but in a different fan fiction story area! Yes, Don "QuixoticQuest" has finally branched. I'm so proud of myself. Ha, ha. *Wipes a tear*

Although it may be a while before the first chapter comes up (curse my writer's block), I'm letting anyone who actually bothers to read my work know that I'm working on trying to get "Life's Song" started. If you've read my profile, you already know that I plan to make this a two part series (I don't' know how long each story piece will be but I usually just let the story write itself- I'm not a one-shot writer just to note for those of you who are new to my writing).

So yeah, this story, to give a premise, is set a little bit after "Wizards at War," about a year post the book, and they're currently trying to plan their future while dealing with a new wizardry. Like I said, I'm still developing the story but I promise to give it my all, and please cut me some slack because this is my first YW fan fic. I am an avid YW fan and while I liked the way the series ended I couldn't help but write a little further into the future. I like to speculate how things would end up in terms of "what if's."

Enough of my babbling, please keep checking this story for updates (keep in mind I'm also in the middle of my SW story "Life and the Force" (I know, I know, I've used the word "life" twice, shame on me) and I'm up to my ears in college work. I have a Hiragana quiz for my Japanese class this Wednesday, it's a lot of work (but I enjoy it, hee ^_^).

**Oh, and I always rate one level up just to be safe, that's why this is M and not T. I don't know how mature this will get but it'll probably be close to the kind of violence and maturity in my SW series depending on where I decide to go with this.**

Until the first chapter,

Don out!

PS- I'm open to suggestions as to new topics or things to cover in YW that haven't been covered before, if you let me know, I'll do my best to integrate them into my work.


	2. Summer's Dull Sound

**A/N- Hey everyone! Just to note before I begin the chapter, I want to say how important it is to me that I get reviews since this is a new type of fan fiction for me. Not that I'm unfamiliar with YW, I've read the books upwards around ten times each, but I really want to know what you think I need to work on, if I'm writing the characters too OOC, or anything like that. Suggestions are welcome (I can't guarantee that suggestions relating to the plot or story will be used but I always consider what makes the most sense and I always listen to the opinions of my readers). Example? I changed what I originally planned for my SW story "When it Begins Again," because someone mentioned how little sense it would make for one particular character to die (I know, shame on me for considering it). I listen to reason if anything, so if you have a good argument for how it makes sense in terms of the direction my story is heading in, then suggest away! **

**Oh, and I need some clarification, I am pretty sure Kit and Nita are two years apart but I want to double check, if someone can clarify that for me, I would really appreciate it. Thanks! Oh, I might be off in the number of years, I can't remember if Nita was a sophomore or junior, but just in case, can someone check that for me? (I'm at college and I only could bring books one and two with me).**

**Now without further ado, may I present "Life's Song," the lead performer in this writing show! *Bows and steps aside***

**As always a pleasure writing for you all,**

**-Don ^_^**

**Chapter 1**

**Summer's Dull Sound**

Summer had been an absolute drag. Here he was, a rising high school junior, and a wizard at that, and Kit Rodriguez was completely and irreversibly bored. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that his best friend and wizardry partner, Nita Callahan, was currently away looking at colleges. Because of financial issues, she had to skip what would have normally been her first year in college and now was doing what she should have rightfully, in Kit's mind, been doing last year.

So Kit had spent most the summer lounging around, wishing with large amounts of passion that Ponch wasn't some kind of weird demi-god power or whatever Ponch was. At this point Kit only wanted his dog back. He groaned as he leaned back on the flower bed in his front yard. He'd tried getting busy with other tasks, but so far no wizardries came up that needed taking care of. He wondered if this was the Powers' twisted idea of a joke. That wouldn't surprise him in the least. Over the years Kit had gotten used to the idea that at any point the Powers could stop or start giving Kit and Nita tasks to do. Now that he had all the time in the world, Kit had no wizardries to perform. He wasn't sure if he was going to go to college. Sure, Kit had considered it, but he didn't actually know what his major would be. He'd thought about doing technology, his wizardry specialty, but no one would really understand it if he started talking to their cars or computers. Kit smiled at the idea. It'd definitely throw non-wizards off.

"And what," A voice said from above Kit, "Is so amusing?" Kit sat up in a rush to look into the gray eyes of his wizardry partner.

"Neets!" He said, almost too enthusiastically because Nita flicked her eyes down onto Kit's former location of dozing and then proceeded to roll her eyes as Kit's overly excited jump to his feet was followed by his tripping and falling down again.

"How long have you been lying there?" She asked.

He brushed the dirt off his shirt and pants. "Not long actually, my mom was after me to help her do the laundry."

"It's not that bad." Nita pointed out, reaching out a hand to pull Kit to his feet. He narrowed his eyes and accepted the hand up.

"Oh, it's bad. She won't let me use wizardry."

"You shouldn't anyways. The detergents might start arguing with each other." Nita said with a laugh. Kit groaned. He sometimes wondered where Nita got her horrible sense of humor.

"Neets, I've been bored all summer long, cut me some slack." Kit said, walking in step with her as they started away from Kit's yard and towards Nita's house. Again Nita threw him a skeptical glance, as if to ask if he actually made the effort to occupy himself with something productive.

"Okay, so I avoided doing the things that weren't fun, but I did try."

"Did you practice your wizardry?" Nita asked, imitating Tom's voice. Kit shivered a little, as the sound of her imitation was almost too accurate to not be creepy.

"Of course I did. But you can only do so much practice without actually using it before it gets boring." Kit inwardly chided himself for overstating how bored he was. What was wrong with him? He didn't usually feel the need to explain himself to Nita, so why was now any different. Kit decided it was better left alone. He just wasn't used to being away from his best friend and wizarding part for so long, yeah, that was it.

"You decide on a college?" Kit asked as he set up the beam-me-up-Scotty spell. Nita shrugged.

"They were interesting enough, but I didn't see anywhere I really wanted to go." Nita then let out a sigh. Kit stared concernedly at her.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"It's just that I know my dad can't exactly afford this right now, I mean we're better off than last year but…" She trailed off. Kit nodded and they then disappeared and arrived in Nita's bedroom.

Nita sat down on her bed and Kit sat down next to her. "Kit, where are you going?"

"Me?" He said, looking at the ceiling. "I'm not sure, but I'm probably not going to college."

"Why?" Nita narrowed her eyes. "You can afford to go right now. It'd be a mistake to pass this up."

Kit sighed, leaning back on his hands. "I'm just not sure I want to go study when I won't be getting much out of it. I know more about technology than anyone who's gone to college."

"Kit, most people won't just accept the 'I'm a wizard, I just know,' line." Nita said firmly. He shrugged.

"They might."

"Kit!"

"Hey, I was kidding." Kit said in a placating tone. "What's got you so worried, Neets?" He noted how off her behavior had been in the past few minutes since the topic of college had been brought up.

She shifted slightly. The whole college trip had taken her for more of a revelation ride than she'd anticipated and because of this, she had finally realized that in a year or so she and Kit, like it or not, would be doing professional jobs or studying in college somewhere or both. Either way, they would most likely be away from each other for a while. That was the scariest part, Nita hadn't quite gotten used to being around other kids besides Kit, kids who weren't wizards. Not that it was bad to be around them, she just hadn't quite gotten over how angry people like Joanne had made Nita.

"Look, whatever happens, we'll handle it." Kit said reassuringly. That's just it! Nita thought fiercely, 'we,' aren't going to be together for the rest of our lives.

"Kit, have you even considered the chance that we won't be together once I go to college?" Nita said, her gray eyes scanning Kit for any sign of recognition to her question. He opened his mouth then shut it. He really hadn't thought too much about it. At least not until this summer, when Nita was away for a month and a half, Kit had started to wonder where he'd actually end up while Nita was in college.

"A little," He admitted. Nita sighed her loudest sigh yet, one that caused Kit to start laughing.

"It's not funny! I mean we're wizardry partners, how the heck do the Powers expect us to do wizardry if we're on opposite sides of the world."

"I wouldn't go that far, Neets." Kit said.

"Mind if I ask what you two are talking so loudly about?" Dairine asked, not bothering to knock as she entered the room, Spot waddled in behind her, whirring and beeping like he usually did.

"Nothing, Runt, go fix a galaxy." Nita replied. Dairine raised an eyebrow at her sister's new retort but otherwise didn't move.

"Dad says time for dinner. He already set a place for you, Kit." Then Dairine was gone. Nita exchanged glances with Kit. Was it just her or was Harry Callahan getting more and more aware of wizardry than he usually was. As Nita and Kit entered the kitchen, the front door opened to reveal Tom Swale.

"Hi Harry, Dairine," He looked at Nita and Kit. "I've got something to talk to you two about after you're done eating dinner."

"We can set an extra place, Tom," Mr. Callahan offered, Tom shook his head.

"No, I really have to be going. But I'll be sure to take you up on the offer soon." He nodded to Nita and Kit then was gone.

"I wonder what he wants to talk to us about." Nita voiced aloud.

"I'm just glad I get to do something now. It's been-"

"Boring? I know." Nita a little more softly towards the end than she intended, if Kit noticed how quiet she was, he didn't let on. Kit was probably thinking the same thing she was. The last time Tom had come to their doorstep it was before the world's seniors turned their power over to the younger wizards. Though Nita wanted to do wizardry she wasn't sure she wanted to go through that whole war again.

"Do you two need me to give you an assignment, I could use some help." Mr. Callahan looked sideways at his daughter who shook her head emphatically. As the three sat down, Dairine came hopping down the stairs, skipping them two at a time.

"What took you so long, you were ahead of us." Nita mused, wondering in all honesty what Dairine had decided was more important than being first at the table for dinner, something Nita knew Dairine liked being. It meant more food.

"I got an assignment, what else?" Dairine said in her usual sarcastic voice, giving Nita a strange look as Nita and Kit exchanged raised eyebrows at each other and what Dairine could guess was a mind to mind communication. Sometimes they really acted like Jedi, it was a little disturbing. Dairine plopped down into her chair and began loading her plate with the spaghetti her father had made.

Kit turned to Nita. "You think that Tom has something to say about our inactive status all summer?"

Nita shrugged, "Could be. Or it's just that he came up with something before the Powers did." Nita caught Kit's brown eyes flickering with mild amusement. Then in mental unison they said, 'Nah.' Then burst out laughing.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to go on assignment." Kit said with a slight amount of annoyance. Nita frowned good naturedly, punching him in the arm.

"Hey, Nino, you've been lounging around all summer, why don't you do something productive for a change." Nita dodged out of the way as Kit eyed her dangerously for using the nickname his family used when they were teasing him. He hated being called "little." At this point Nita wasn't even sure that he was any more. Kit had grown up a lot since they had first met, since he was the small eleven year old boy who bitterly wished he could show the bullies that he wasn't going to be pushed around anymore. Kit's shoulders were broader and he definitely wasn't the kind of person that others could pick on. His muscles were one thing, but he was also a lot sharper minded in how to handle fighting. Not that he needed to. Kit had wizardry on his side, and that would always trump anything anyone else tried to use. Unless it was the Lone Power, but that was a whole other story, at this point, Nita, Kit, Dairine, and even Camela had run ins with the Lone Power, none of which were in any way pleasant.

Nita checked her watch, and then nodded to Kit. "Dad, we've got to go talk to Tom."

"Right," Mr. Callahan said, he knew that both Nita and Kit were old enough to make decisions for themselves at this point, and that wizardry was time consuming, so he withheld comments about when they should be back and instead said, "Stay safe."

"We will." Nita assured her father, "We're just going to a meeting, Dad." She smiled before Kit finished the spell that completed the transit to Carl and Tom's house.


	3. Song of the Hesitant Heart

_A/N- Hey all! I'm back again with another chapter and I'm super psyched because I just found out that there's a solid release date on for book nine of YW!!! *Does a dance- the cookie dance in fact*_

_I thought it would never happen, but has yet to lie about release dates, so I'm probably going to be on happy-ecstasy driven fan giddiness. Yeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!! _

_I'm really getting hyped up with ideas for both my YW and SW fan fiction. YW is a little slow but it's better than it was in the beginning. I just have to decide on a more defined direction for my series. Now that I know book nine is coming out I'm interested in seeing what direction the actual series is going to go in, and depending on where I am in my series when book nine comes out will affect what my series will be like. I might have the second part of the series take place after book nine. We shall see! (I'm excited no matter what- please don't poke my happy bubble… not that you can, it's kind of big and thick at this point). _

_Anyways, I think my author's notes are getting longer and longer with each new chapter I write, even in my SW my last chapter in it had an A/N that took up half of my screen when I previewed it. __

_I have no idea why but one of my college classmates decided my nickname is "Shippo," because I'm small and quirky. I kind of wanted to be the chimp from Speed Racer who's always in the trunk of the car, but I guess I'm stuck with being Shippo. _

_Woot! _

_Dai Stiho! Go well, Fellow Wizards! _

_-Don "Shippo- QuixoticQuest" (One of my college classmates nicknamed me Shippo for some reason)._

_PS- If anyone can answer my questions about Nita and Kit's ages from my last note I would greatly appreciate it (either in a review or send me a message- otherwise I'll have to wait until my parents bring the rest of the series when they visit on October 2nd- which means there might be a delay in posting if I don't get the information)._

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**Chapter 2**

**Song of the Hesitant Heart**

Making sure that they were completely settled, Tom then sat across from Nita and Kit on the second couch. He smiled reassuringly at them.

"Don't worry so much, I'm not here to punish you two." Tom said. Kit leaned back a little, trying to ease the tension he felt building in his neck.

"I'm not so much worried about what you've got to say, as what wizardry we have to do." Kit said. Nita looked at him curiously. For some reason Kit had been acting a little overly sensitive as well as scared and Kit was never scared. Or at least not in the way he was now.

"Well, I'll just cut to the chase then." Tom said. He too had noticed Kit's nervous attitude but withheld comment on it. Though he planned to talk to Kit about his sudden confession about fearing his wizardry, even though being afraid was normal, Tom could tell there was something else Kit wasn't saying that probably could affect Kit's ability to do magic. After all, magic did not dwell in the unwilling heart and if Kit's heart was too afraid to be in the wizardry, it would break. Wizardry was dangerous, worst case scenario Tom would forbid Kit from doing magic until the fear passed. But at the moment Tom didn't know how far Kit's wizardry problems reached or what was causing them.

"I'm sure you both are exhausted from college searching but I got a special request from S'ree that I think you two should look into." Tom paused watching first Nita's expression, which was calm as well as curious, and then Kit's which was a little more unnerved. It might have passed over Nita's observation that Kit was casting furtive glances at her then at the ground, but Tom as their Senior wizard, rarely missed much. "S'ree said it's nothing too extravagant so I doubt you'll have to put in that many hours."

"We're not at the beach, though. We can't just up and leave home." Kit said. That time Nita's head turned abruptly. What was wrong with him? She thought to herself. He was behaving strangely. She wasn't sure if it had something to do with his inactive status all summer long, or if he just didn't want to stop being lazy. She had a feeling it more than that.

"We'll manage." She told Tom, throwing Kit a questioning look. Tom nodded, holding out his hand for the manual to drop into it. Nita wondered how he could still hold it in one hand. It was almost as big as the Oxford English Dictionary.

"Good, I'll let her know. You'll be meeting her tomorrow morning to go over the specifics, but I thought I'd just give you a briefing. Seeing as the last time you two were there, you ran into some problems, I wanted to make sure you two were squared away." He looked at Nita specifically this time. She shivered inwardly at the memory of the song of twelve. It was not something Nita liked talking about. In fact, if no one brought it up, she wouldn't mention it, not even to Kit. He too seemed to never want to talk about it. It had been so long ago, but apparently Kit still remembered all too well what happened when he lost himself to the whalesark and how readily Nita had given herself up at the end of the song, and if it hadn't been for Ed, she would have died.

"Believe me, Tom," Nita said with a wry smile, "I'm not pulling a stunt like that again." Tom nodded.

"I didn't think you would. You two have grown up a lot since then, and you know better than to commit yourself to a wizardry without thinking about it first." Tom then flipped through his manual. "You'll be doing some basic wizardry down there. The coast has been acting up a little, but again I don't think it's anything serious."

"When is it ever not serious? If we're on assignment then there's a good chance it's risky." Kit put in. Nita punched him in the arm. He promptly ignored her. "Tom, this sounds too much like what was happening before the song of twelve."

So that _was_ what was bothering him, Nita thought. She looked at Kit with stern gray eyes. Kit was now trying without success to stare Tom down. Nita felt uneasy. This Kit was not the one that she was used to seeing. He was stubborn but in all the wrong ways.

Tom stopped with a tony expression and then suddenly snapped his book closed. "Sorry, Nita, but can you give me a few minute alone with Kit?" Nita looked from one to the other then got up.

"I'll meet you outside, Kit." She said, trying to keep the uneasiness out of her voice. Then she went to the door and opened and closed it wordlessly behind her.

Tom narrowed his eyes at Kit. "So, tell me what this is all about, Kit. I get the feeling the powers had a good reason for keeping you off active status. Your behavior just now was proof of that."

Kit's brow furrowed. "What? Am I not allowed to be worried that I'm going into a wizardry that sounds exactly like the one that nearly got Nita killed?"

Tom nodded. "Of course you're allowed to be worried, but you shouldn't be refusing to do wizardry because you're afraid." Tom then closely examined Kit with his eyes, "Or is it because you haven't wanted to do wizardry this summer?" Tom then paused, his voice completely cool, "Tell me the truth, Kit, in the speech, have you been able to do any wizardry this summer?"

Kit opened his mouth then shut it. "I have." He said in English. Tom's brow creased and his eyes flared.

"Kit." Tom threatened. Kit licked his lips, then lowered his gaze.

"I haven't been able to any wizardry." Kit admitted in the speech. The door, which had been slightly ajar for a moment, snapped shut and both Kit's and Tom's eyes went to it as a figure hurriedly made its way out of Tom and Carl's gate and disappeared with a snap of air.

"Powers." Kit's voice hissed and he jumped to his feet. Tom held Kit back.

"She heard you. I don't know if you want to continue to be a wizard, Kit. But Nita is more than just your wizard partner, so I suggest you be honest." He let go of Kit's arm. "And that you rethink about your reasons for being a wizard. If you're in it, you're in it, if you're not, then you're not. Your wizardry only works as well as your will to do it does." Tom then indicated that Kit leave with a jerk of his head.

Kit then disappeared and reappeared at Nita's house. He walked in the door.

"Hi Mr. Callahan," Kit said. Harry Callahan looked up sharply as Kit came in.

"Did Nita come home?" He asked, surprised that Kit hadn't come back with her if she had.

"She did and now she's upstairs crying." Dairine said looking fiercely at Kit. Her eyes glared daggers that seemed to bore deeply into Kit's body. He glanced up the stairs.

"You better be ready to face some wrath, Christopher Rodriguez if you've hurt my sister in any way." Dairine said with a low growl. Kit sighed, stepping forward. Dairine folded her arms across her chest and stood in front of the stairs. "Swear it in the speech that you won't hurt her."

Kit swore to himself in Spanish, thankful that neither Dairine nor Harry Callahan knew Spanish like Nita did from hanging around Kit's house so much. Why was everyone making him swear in the speech today?

"I swear that I won't do anything to hurt Nita." Kit said in the speech. _Not that I would do it on purpose_.

Dairine stepped aside and Kit ran up the stairs, and slowed when he got to Nita's door, opening it as quietly and slowly as possible. He stepped inside, "Neets?" He immediately saw her lying on her bed, face buried in her pillows. Her manual was out and open to the page with Kit's name on it. For the first time Kit's name was actually beginning to fade. Wizardry really didn't work when you weren't willing to have it, He thought.

Nita looked up at him. "You lied earlier. You hadn't done wizardry all summer." Nita's gray eyes stared at him. "Kit, tell me the truth, why haven't you been able to do wizardry?"

Kit briefly considered telling her nothing but then remembered what Tom had said about Nita being more than just a wizardry partner. He came over to sit on the bed. "It's not that I can't, Neets. It's that I won't." Kit said with a low sigh. Nita sat up completely, fixating all her attention on Kit.

"Why?" Her voice clearly indicated the anger she felt at his hiding of the truth as well as her concern at his last statement. No matter how he put the truth, it would hurt.

"I'd been thinking how these past few years I've been only focusing on wizardry and not on other things."

"Like what?" Nita questioned, her voice still cold, but was now more confused.

"Like college, or finding a career, or just being a normal kid." Kit blurted, feeling stupid for saying all those things. "I love being a wizard but what if there's something more that I'm missing because of it?" Kit asked.

"Wizardry is everything, Kit. And you've never regretted doing it before. We're working to slow entropy and because we decided early on that this was our life, and we decided that this was life because we were protecting and preserving it. As far as I can tell I'm still able to enjoy things in life despite that I'm a wizard, if not more. I never would have met everyone I did, or I would have been beaten up for the rest of my life. I was offered a choice to either become something better than I was," She scowled at Kit as he laughed at her somewhat corny statement, "Or to stay ignorant of the things I could do besides lie on the gravel with bruises all over my body."

Kit sighed. How was he going to explain to Nita what he was thinking? That he really didn't want to do wizardry because he was afraid of how much danger it would put both of them in, that he might end up dying and never experience life as everyone else did without trying to stop the world from dying every five seconds. It was selfish but he'd been thinking about it all summer. By the end of it he had noticed that when he did wizardry he no longer had as much power and it was becoming harder to do even the simplest spells.

"I don't want to not protect the world from entropy, Nita, I just don't want to have our lives cut short from anything that we could do in the future."

Nita's frown softened, "That's silly, Kit. You and I both know there's always Time-Heart."

"What if that's not enough?" Kit asked, causing Nita to look at him questioningly.

"What if," He started, "We really won't see each other there? If in the end there's just nothing."

Nita placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kit, I know there's a Time-Heart because I've seen it. I see my mom there." She looked down at her feet. It was the only place she saw her mom now and she knew Dairine probably saw it too.

"I don't want to just see people there," Kit protested, "I want to see them here! I get that it's the place where all that's loved survives, I get it! But I don't just want to live my life expecting to be there, I want to live it here." He now felt extremely stupid and ridiculous for his sudden outburst. Everything sounded more childish than he expected it to. Nita smiled at him.

"That's no reason to stop doing wizardry, Kit. It's a good reason to keep doing it. Because we can at least try to slow down death a little, no matter what we can't stop it altogether, and some things do have to die, Kit." She ruefully stared at the ground as she said her last statement. She couldn't escape the feeling that she wanted to get her mother back but Nita knew it could never be.

Kit stared at Nita in wonder. When did she become so strong? Sure he knew that Nita had always been a tough girl, but even in the beginning she'd had her doubts and questions, she'd faltered and fallen, but now she stood tall and confident. It almost seemed like she had outgrown her past self completely and cast it aside like an empty shell.

"Neets," Kit said quietly, hearing the pain in her voice.

"It's okay, Kit. I don't blame you for being afraid, but I won't stop doing wizardry just because I'm afraid, it'd be stupid. I'm almost always afraid, because there's never a time I know what's going to happen."

Kit knew Nita was right and like always there wasn't any way he was going to give up his side. "Well, if you're going to do it, I'm doing it too. All for one," He smiled at her. Nita nodded.

"You managed to keep your promise," Dairine said, giving Kit a wary look as she stood in the doorway. How long had she been standing there? Kit thought to himself.

"What did she make you do?" Nita asked. Kit waved his hand.

"Forget about it."

"Hey, Runt, what'd you tell him?" Nita asked, deciding that prying something out of Kit was pointless.

"For that name, I'm not telling you anything." Dairine said and turned on her heel and entered her room. Once there, she closed the door and fingered the emerald stone hanging around her neck.

**A/N- Sorry for the slow moving story, I'm having uber writer's block with this, and it's only getting better slightly. I know initially how I want the story to go but I need more meat in it, if you know what I mean. Until I broke this evil writer's block, it'll keep being a little slow here. But thanks to anyone who is patiently bearing with me! ^_^**


	4. Disonance and Inference

_A/N- Hey everyone! I'm back with chapter 3 sooner than I thought I would be (mainly because I decided to go on a walk around my college campus in the rain to brainstorm ideas- I know, it's weird but to each her own, right?). Besides I came up with some ideas to get this story rolling and part of that involves bringing Dairine into the story a little more too. I planned to from the start, and I happen to think she's pretty cool even if she tends to be annoying. I think all of us here know what is going to happen since I'm bringing Dairine back. (Hint, hint)._

_Anyways, sorry for being slow, I hate my writer's block as much as you guys do, but please if you feel so inclined, hit the button at the bottom of the page and let me know that I'm doing something right so I won't get discouraged by my writer's block (which is especially bad right now). _

_Dai, Cousins!_

_-Don "QuixoticQuest" ^_^_

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_** Chapter 3**_

_** Disonance and Inference**_

It had been getting steadily more obvious these days. At first Dairine didn't take much notice of the small glow that occasionally came from the emerald necklace around her neck, but in recent months, in particular this summer, it was constantly glowing and sometimes burned her fingers. At this point, it would have burned through her shirt if she kept it on. Dairine sat at her desk, gingerly holding the necklace with a kitchen glove on her hand. If Nita wasn't out doing wizardry at the beach, she'd probably have told Dairine to stop obsessing over the necklace or worse looked on Dairine with pity because she, as everyone else thought, Rashaun was gone. Dairine knew better. Something had seemed off about his death, if one could call it that, Rashaun hadn't died, he had disappeared. There was a difference, and that difference was all it took to stop Dairine from listening to the better part of her judgment that told her searching was hopeless.

She held the stone up to the light, she half expected the stone to suddenly release energy and Rashaun would jump out into her room. _I've got to stop watching so many movies. _Wizardry, even at its best, didn't work that way. Although Dairine like many others, wished it would. Unlike the force, which allowed a Jedi to sense just about anything living, wizardry didn't let you feel people who were halfway across the galaxy and communicate telepathically with them, unless of course you had a strong bond with them. A bond Dairine knew Nita had with Kit and had had since day one of their friendship. Dairine almost thought it was funny that they were so close together with the obvious staring them in the face, yet they continued to act like nothing would change and they had infinite amount of time to figure out whatever it was that they had to.

Dairine used to think that. Now she knew taking things for granted was the worst thing ever. If she did take Rashaun for granted, it wasn't entirely clear what she thought, but at the very least Dairine never thought Rashaun would vanish off the face of the planet and galaxy where no one could find him. _Except the Lone Power_, Dairine shook the idea from her head.

She blinked as the stone glowed again, warming her hands through the kitchen gloves. "Spot, run a heat scan." Dairine said. The laptop waddled over and began running a blue light over the necklace.

"Well?"

"I'm not done, be patient."

"I haven't exactly been impatient, Spot."

"This takes time, do you want to find him or not?" Spot would have glared at her if he had that kind of expression. His computer tone certainly did have an edge. Dairine knew that was because he wasn't just any laptop. Wizardry did strange things to inanimate objects, if people thought their computers could get huffy at them, the world would be backwards. _Better to let the wizards handle the computers with opinions_, Dairine mused to herself.

"Spot-"

"Found. Five heat signatures traced. One unknown region." Spot turned to Dairine. "Do you want me to display all five?"

"Just the unknown one, Rashaun's not anywhere known to this galaxy or to the manual." Dairine then went over the little information on Spot's screen. He made a beeping noise.

"What now, Spot?" She looked at him with irritation.

"Incoming message from Nita, do you want to-"

"Yeah, yeah, just save for later, I'm sure it can wait." Dairine's gray eyes went over the results then took down some notes. "Come on, Spot, we're going to the world gate."

"Now?" Even for Spot the amount of emotion in that question was surprising. Dairine stared at him.

"Yes, now, Spot. You think waiting is going to make things better for Rashaun?"

"We don't even know if he's there."

"I do and I'm going to find him." Dairine kept walking, and would have run into her father if Spot hadn't warbled a warning.

"Dairine, where are you going?" Mr. Callahan frowned at his youngest daughter.

"Wizardry, what else?" Dairine muttered.

"Dairine Callahan." Mr. Callahan's sharp tone brought her head up.

"I'm going out, and nothing you say is going to stop me, Dad." Dairine started to walk around her father when the air around them got tight and a loud bang brought a small boy a few years younger than Dairine with dark skin and wild black hair into the Callahan home.

"Whoa, that came out better than I thought." He turned to Dairine. "Hey, Dairine."

"Daryll, what are you doing here?" Dairine asked, surprised that he had managed to find her house so quickly, although on second thought she was in the book.

"Oh, you know, this and that. I'm actually here to see your sister about something," He paused as Dairine's eyes narrowed. "Uh, she is here, right?"

"No, she got called off on a wizardry a little while ago, why?" Dairine was now more curious than she would have been five minutes ago. Rashaun would have to wait until Daryll told her what was so important.

"Well, I was doing some research and I found some loopholes in some of the wizardries the Powers put around the world to protect it. I know we just went through a whole bunch of trouble to fix it, but it looks like things are a lot more dangerous than They thought. I don't know why, but they contacted me directly to tell everyone on active status, and the Advisories to recall all active wizards until further notice." Daryll shifted uncomfortably. Dairine took one look at her father then returned her gaze to Daryll. "And why didn't they just tell the Seniors directly?"

Again Daryll looked uncomfortable. "Well, after the whole mess recently, there was an accident with one of the Regional Advisories."

"Regional?" Dairine's voice was sharper than usual. "What do you mean there was an accident?"

"That's how we know how bad it is. The Regional Advisor for Europe was killed while on active status, no one knows why yet, but I need to know where Nita is." Daryll's usually light tone was now completely sobered.

"At the beach doing a wizardry with some whales-" Dairine's mind suddenly clicked. If there was a problem with the sealed wizardries the Song of the Twelve keeping the Lone Power under control at the beach could, and with what Daryll was saying, would come undone at some point.

"Shit."

"Dairine!" Mr. Callahan's anger was nothing to the amount of fear traveling through Dairine's veins.

"Daryll, we need to go, and fast." She switched into using the speech and Daryll responded in kind.

"Hang on, you can't just beam over there, the wizardries are unstable right now!" Daryll grabbed Dairine's arm. She scowled at him.

"My sister is out there doing wizardry and doesn't know anything about this problem and you expect me to not beam right over there?"

"If you get sucked into whatever the Regional Advisory did, you'll come out dead too." Daryll said. Dairine stopped setting up the spell and turned to Daryll.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"There's nothing else to do but to take a plane."

"A plane?" Dairine snapped, "Are you nuts? That'll take too long!"

"What choice do we have? This is the Powers we're talking about who don't know what's going on!" Daryll's eyes flared for a second, meeting Dairine's. She wasn't about to let any more time go to waste, not when she could lose Nita like she did Rashaun. Even if she wasn't sure where he was, it hurt too much either way.

"Fine, let's go." Dairine said, then turned to her father who had been listening to this, only catching bits and pieces since Dairine had suddenly decided to use the speech midway through.

"Dairine, is everything okay?"

"No, but it will be if I have anything to do with it." Dairine said. "Dad, I need an airplane ticket, there's no time to ask questions, it's an emergency."

Mr. Callahan paused then went to the phone to begin making the phone calls to the airlines. Daryll looked at Dairine who was very close to hyperventilating from the amount of anxiety she felt.

"We'll get there, Dairine, that's why they told me to come."

"Are you the only one traveling around?"

"No, there are local wizards going around each area to give warnings. But there aren't many of us who can use wizardry right now."

"Huh." Dairine said, pushing back the words she was about to say. She remembered that Nita had said not to talk about Daryll's abilities because he wasn't supposed to find something out, what exactly, Nita wouldn't say. Whatever it was, Dairine knew it had to have something to do with the Powers and people with ridiculous amounts of energy. Something Dairine herself had had for a long time. "I hope Nita isn't doing anything reckless." Dairine said and immediately regretted it. Anything Nita did while on wizardry was reckless as well as dangerous, though it was no fault of Nita's or Kit's that the Lone Power seemed to have a special liking for destroying their livelihood specifically. Or they had a very person run in with it during their ordeal.

Wizardry certainly wasn't anything like Star Wars, it was much worse.

"Uh-uh, no way." Kit said as he and Nita stepped away from the water where S'reee had briefed them on what they would be doing for their mission, to confer on their decision. Nita scowled.

"Kit we've talked about this, we're in it all the way or we're not."

"Then we're not."

"Kit, I mean it, you said you'd be in this. Don't tell me you're still worried about the Song of the Twelve?"

"Neets, come on! Haven't we already seen all this? Maybe you were sleeping through the whole situation where you were almost eaten by a shark!"

Nita folded her arms across her chest, she understood where Kit was coming from but still didn't buy the idea of backing out. "Kit, it's not anything like last time."

"And how's that? You're not the Silent Lord, sure, but what about all the_ other_ things that could go wrong?" His eyes flickered fiercely.

"Kit, you're exaggerating and you know it." Nita said with a sigh.

"No, I'm not. It's completely valid, I've got this really bad feeling and I think we should back out." Kit bit back. His voice strained, "Please, Neets, can't you think this through, I'm not saying any of this because of what happened this summer. I'm seriously worried that this is going to go badly."

"Get to the point, Kit, because entropy's still running." Nita arched her eyebrows at him with a smirk.

"Nita, I'm not kidding about this." Kit said, not bothering to laugh at her joke. Nita looked at him, her gray eyes widening then narrowing.

"Kit, we can't just say 'Oh, sorry, we're not helping because we've got a bad feeling about this.' We're wizards, we're the ones who're supposed to be standing between everyone else and the Lone Power, not the other way around." She frowned, "Besides, if we do back out then we have to tell the truth."

"Then we'll tell them exactly why we're not doing it, but I'm not letting you do this." Kit's eyes hardened. Nita's voice and posture snapped at that into her most defensive mode. Kit took a step back as her stance said she was gearing for a fight and wasn't joking about it.

"You're not letting me do this? Give me a break, Kit. You're starting to act like my father and not my wizarding partner." She growled the words without bothering to take the accusation out of it, "The Kit Rodriguez I know would never even consider backing out of a wizardry."

At that Kit remained silent and defeated. Her words had cut him deeply and he immediately regretted wording his sentence the way he did. All he was trying to do was tell Nita the truth: that he really didn't like the feeling he was getting from the life around him. Even though his specialty wasn't nature, he could still feel something was off. The rocks were never this unnerved, not even when he was here last with Nita.

"I'm doing the spell with S'reee. I'll see you at home, Kit." Nita started back down towards the water.

"Nita, wait!" Kit called, his entire body screaming at him to not go anywhere near the water, but he wasn't about to let Nita walk into this on her own. Kit's memory of Nita when she had tried tackling saving her mother on her own, and how she was so withdrawn afterwards, he knew he should have been there. He knew he should have tried to resolve their issues before then. But he hadn't. He didn't want this to be the same way. He knew now how fragile life was, all his wizardry experiences had taught him that nothing lasted forever and nothing scared him more than to think about losing Nita. They'd been through too much for Kit to not get through each day without her, wizardry or not.

"I'll do it. It's all for one." He said stiffly and having trouble hiding his clear apprehension. He had been feeling his wizardry more and more by the minute, something he hadn't felt all summer, and that troubled him. Wizardry wasn't meant to come and go that quickly.

"Honestly, Kit," Nita said with concern in her eyes, "What's wrong? Is this still about your wizardry? Or did something happen to 'Mela, or-"

"No, 'Mela's fine and so are my parents," Kit said immediately following Nita's train of thought.

"Then tell me what's going on." Nita said firmly, though now she was thoroughly perplexed. Kit was acting so differently it was actually starting to scare her.

"It's-" He paused, looking into her eyes, then shook his head, while he turned his head to face the ground.

"Kit," Nita's voice became sharp again, "Don't you dare say 'it's nothing' or I'll send you on a one way trip to the Lone Power."

"You wouldn't." Kit gave her a frown. She raised an eyebrow as if to challenge him to push her.

"I just can't forget what happened last time we were doing an underwater wizardry, here on this same beach. I really thought we had no way out, Neets. It was just dumb luck that we got out of the song alive. I don't think I can go through all that again." He rubbed his arm as he said this, still not looking Nita in the eyes.

Nita's harsh gaze softened at Kit's sudden confession. She hadn't known how he felt about The Song of the Twelve because he'd acted so stubborn and told her he wouldn't just give up and let her sacrifice herself. When this whole time Kit had actually been afraid, he hadn't had all the confidence he showed outwardly. Sometimes for someone so tough and sardonic towards life, and he could really be as unperturbed by risks as anyone Nita knew, Kit was truly soft towards the things he cared about. He had a hard outer shell that allowed him to walk away from some situations without so much as surprised look behind him. His bitterness allowed him to stand tall and walk without any doubts. Though Nita could still not understand where he was getting his fears from right now even if there had been a bad experience in the past with the Song of the Twelve, and she too had been frightened by it, but he had told her right after that that he wouldn't stop being a wizard. So why now was Kit losing confidence?

"Hey, lighten up. I wasn't serious about the whole entropy thing. S'reee and the others will be fine." Nita said giving Kit a reassuring smile and her voice showing her natural way of looking at things positively.

_I wasn't worried about S'reee_, Kit thought in frustration, _I was worried about you._ Nita could be such an oblivious idiot sometimes that it both impressed and annoyed Kit all at once. But Kit didn't expect her to understand all the emotions he felt towards her, nor did he plan to tell her his real reason for protesting against this wizardry.

"Well, let's go, Kit, time's swimming," Nita said, using one of S'reee's favorite sayings. At the moment Kit found it very hard not to laugh and he resisted only because a broad grin that threatened to break his mouth crossed his features.

"Right behind you, Neets."

**A/N- Ha, ha. I'm totally making fun of my other fandom. Jedi vs. Dairine. Jedi ignite their lightsabers, but too late. Dairine: 1 Jedi: Zero Jedi = FATALITY. Please review! **


	5. Music in the Waves

**Chapter 4**

**Music in the Waves**

_A/N- Break through!! I've gotten some really good ideas for this fan fic and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my writer's block is dead (at least for now). The whole idea in this chapter was inspired by my own intense troubles with dense people (actually in my case it's not people it's one person, a stupid boy) WHO JUST DON'T GET IT!! (after you read the chapter you'll understand more). Enough about me, on to the story!_

_Oh, and if you noticed, I changed one of the genres from "fantasy" to romance. You know what that means? ^_^ Yes, you guessed it!_

_I get cookies!! _

_Just kidding- It means what you think it means- Which actually says nothing at all because all interpretations are objective. _

_Please enjoy and remember the little green button loves you!! *Nudge-nudge* _

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Nita found it hard to believe that even after she'd sent the message through the manual, telling Dairine what was going on, that the red headed younger wizard didn't immediately demand to come along. Although Nita knew why that was, she was still thinking about how Dairine would react if she found out that Nita was going to try to participate in a water wizardry that might or might not leave her scarred. Not that Nita wasn't already scarred losing one's mother did that to a person. Nita had had enough moping around for one lifetime though. Giving back was the only way to ease the pain she still felt biting at her insides.

As Nita slid easily into the whale form, she watched Kit as he sat on the dock, his brown eyes still holding the clear concern he felt. Nita wasn't stupid. Kit was never one to keep his opinions to himself. If he did, Nita would find it strange.

_Stop being such a spoil sport, Kit. This is going to be more fun than lying around your front yard all day._

_Is getting mauled by the Lone Power your idea of fun? If it is, you've got thrill issues. _

_We're not sealing anything, Kit; this is standard wizardry, so stop complaining._

_Who said I was? I'm happy to get back into wizardry, but I'd rather not stick my neck into another underwater suicide mission._

_It's not suicide, Kit, and you can stay here on the dock if you think it'll help fix S'reee's problem._

Nita closed her eyes as water splashed her now rubbery whale body. Kit was now looking sideways at her from his sperm whale form.

"When we get back, I'm giving you a long talk about not dragging me into your crazy plans." Kit blew a low whistle at Nita. She laughed, the waves rumbled as she did.

This was more like the Kit she knew. "I'm definitely not sticking around for that."

"You owe me, Neets; I was so not in the mood to get more lessons on how to be a whale." He rolled on his side then blew water at Nita. She shot back, striking Kit right in his eyes. He flashed his fangs.

"Are we ready, Cousins?" S'reee asked, floating up next to Nita's right flank.

"Ready for," Kit began then left off to go into series of words in Spanish, which sounded more than a little bit odd in whale-song. Nita, who knew both, gave Kit a raised eyebrow in the way a whale could, by tilting her body as her eye fixed on him.

"What was that, K!t?" S'reee asked, now confused. Nita threw Kit a warning glare. His swearing didn't need to be heard by S'reee.

"Never mind." Nita said, and began to swim away from the dock followed by S'reee, who was still completely perplexed. Nita and Kit continued swimming alongside one another, letting S'reee lead the way down into the depths of the ocean. Nita began to wonder exactly how far down they were going to go. But it wasn't as though Nita didn't trust S'reee enough to warn them if they needed to create oxygen shields like last time.

Nita glanced at Kit who was staring at her. "What?"

"What do you mean what?" Kit moved to the side, his eyes going wide with confusion.

"I mean you were staring at me, .what?'" Nita said and her voice clearly expressed her disbelief that Kit had no idea what he'd been doing for the past few minutes.

"Oh, I was just wondering what you were planning to do for college." Kit said, completely ignoring the thought that popped into his head. There was no way her was going to say what his thoughts were telling him to.

"I already told you I didn't know, Kit." She turned her head completely; making sure Kit could see that she wasn't letting him get off the hook with the lame answer he'd given. "What's really on your mind?"

"That was what was on my mind, Neets." Kit replied defensively. He immediately regretted using that tone as it gave his already ineffective lie away.

"That's bull and you know it, Christopher." She replied crossly. "I don't need you to say it in the speech to know you're lying."

He scowled at her for using his full name but at the moment he was trying his best not to lose control over his thoughts and actions. More than anything, what had thrown off his wizardry wasn't that he didn't want to do it. It was that he felt his wizardry would be affected by his current roiling thoughts and emotions. Magic always accounted for the changes in the wizards and Kit knew Nita would be the first to notice that his name had changed. _Oh, boy. _He thought, hoping that Nita wouldn't overhear his thought.

"Oh, boy?" Nita repeated with a smirk. _Shit, no such luck_, Kit thought to himself. That time she didn't overhear him, but the damage was done.

"You're really starting to worry me, Kit. Are you sure nothing's going on at home or is it something to do with school?"

'Like I can tell _you _about it,' Kit thought grimly. If Nita could have folded her fins across her chest, she would have, because her face said all that that gesture always said for her opinion.

"Kit, I'm not kidding. You tell me what's going on or I'll tell your mom where you've been hiding all summer."

He frowned deeply, "You wouldn't."

"You really _don't_ have any idea of what I am and am not willing to do." She said casting a look up ahead to make sure S'reee was out of earshot.

"Nobody cares if it's personal, Kit. It's not like anyone down here is going to go telling the world what you're thinking about." Nita said trying a different approach to convincing Kit into telling her what was wrong. Suddenly a thought occurred to her.

"Wait a second, I know," Nita smiled at him, "There's a girl at school that you like and you don't want 'Mela to tease you about it, right?" Nita asked. Kit was glad he was in whale form because otherwise his face would have gone completely red. That was so close to the truth Kit was almost ready to blurt the truth but he withheld on account of the last nerves that existed in his entire body.

Nita was already laughing, "Hey, it's nothing to be worried about, it's not like I'd tell 'Mela. Do you want help asking her out?"

Kit would have rammed his head against the canyons that were now coming into view if he didn't think it would give away any last restraint he had in his body, and not only that, it would attract both Nita and S'reee's attention.

"No thanks, I'm good." Kit choked out. He laughed inwardly at himself for being so stupid. Sometimes Nita could be so dense. She had no idea how he felt right now, and that was a feat for her. Nita was the most observant and detail oriented person that Kit knew, well, except for Carmela, but Kit's extravagant sister didn't count.

"What?" Nita said, sounding irritated, "You don't think I can't offer good advice?"

"Uh, that's not it." Kit said, his Sperm form not quite expressing his real voice because of its harshness. Nita didn't seem to care that Kit really wasn't trying to sound harsh because she went on to interrogate him.

"Then what is it? Do you think I'll judge you for who you like?" Nita asked. Kit was becoming more and more amazed by her deductions. _If you did, it'd be pretty stupid, _he thought to himself with some amusement.

"No, I'm not worried about that." Kit said, finding the calm voice that was his own. Nita went off the defensive as soon as she heard his normal voice come through. "You probably like her enough already." _At least I hope you do._

"Oh, then I know her?" Nita's voice went back to being a tone of simple interest. She really wondered who it was that Kit liked so much that it was causing him to act completely out of character. He really was hopeless. Nita only hoped this girl, whoever she was, would make him happy. Nita was pretty sure she couldn't make Kit half as happy as any of the other girls, mostly because she knew for the better of her life, Nita had always been, and always would be an outcast and somewhat of a Tom-Boy. Not in the rebellious way, but it was just who she was. Therefore it wouldn't ever change, and Nita knew Kit well enough to know he deserved someone prettier and somebody who actually had the answers to her life. Nita barely had the answers to the question of life in general and that was even with the Transcendent Pig telling her it was 42.

"Yeah," Kit said with a rueful smile underneath the skin of his mouth where Nita couldn't see. He really wished this was easier to say or to comprehend. He had spent the entire summer wondering how he'd tell her, and now he was sure he didn't want to. Her reactions told him that she probably didn't like him back and moreover wouldn't believe him if he did say.

"Then what's the problem? You tell her and it'll be fine. If I do know her, it's not like I'd get in between you two." Nita pointed out, and quietly thought to herself, _I really want to, but if Kit really likes her, I should back him up. That's what he'd do for me. Best friends don't ruin each other's relationships. _

"I know you wouldn't," Kit said, then thought to himself: _I wish you would though. But you're too honest to try. _

Nita let out a sigh, "Well, if you don't want to tell me, that's okay, but if you need any help and really don't want to go to 'Mela," She winked at Kit, who laughed, "You know where to find me."

"Right. Thanks, Neets." Kit replied, though he really was anything but grateful for her easy surrender. Half of him wanted her to get the truth out of him in the forceful way that only Nita knew how because she knew all of Kit's weaknesses, and half wanted to just let things lie and just let her be his best friend.

"Best put up our oxygen shields, we're taking a dive." S'reee said. Kit exchanged a wary look with Nita, who suddenly felt her stomach twist in the wrong direction. Something really wasn't right. S'reee's voice was her own, but something was off. Nita couldn't put her finger, or fin as it were, on it.

"Kit," She sung in the lowest note she could.

"I know." He said, casting a furtive glance behind him. It was too late to back out, but he wasn't going to like this. He now knew that both he and Nita were uneasy and that was enough to make Kit begin to worry. But Tom hadn't said anything would be dangerous, so what was wrong? Kit narrowed his eyes as they put up their shields and swam down at an almost too quick rate.

He sung a questioning note out to S'reee, who continued swimming downwards. "S'reee?" He repeated. Nita's eyes fixed on the surroundings. They were now swimming next to the old place of the first Song of the Twelve. Except this time, there were only three of them.

No, Kit thought, the truth suddenly hitting him as they neared where the most recent place of the Song of the Twelve had taken place. Why hadn't he realized it as soon as they passed the first one? Or even when they'd taken the dive? Kit swore silently to himself. He opened his mouth to say something to Nita when S'reee stopped swimming long enough for the water to begin to bubble and heat surged through the ocean like a heated blade.

Kit didn't even have time to shout a warning as a stream of heat struck him in his side, smashing him violently against the canyon's walls. The rocks came down and pierced his side. Kit's wail like song shook the waves and rattled Nita's teeth.

"Kit!" She cried.

Dairine sat impatiently on the airplane, it was not the longest ride but it sure seemed like it. Dairine had read Nita's message and was sure that she and Kit were now below the ocean's surface and were probably in danger. No, scratch that, they were definitely in danger. Dairine cursed her wizardry for preventing her from helping her sister rather than it helping her. She was grateful that Daryll decided to come with her, she only hoped it wasn't a mistake for him to just beam over himself. Though Daryll had said that even though he could do it without too many risks, it was better to limit his travel to occasional beaming trips and as much as Dairine hated to admit it, Daryll was right about things being dangerous. Spot had been beeping so much during the flight that she eventually had to turn him off temporarily.

_This isn't supposed to happen, _Dairine thought, _The Powers should be able to stop this kind of thing from happening, what's going on? _If the Powers That Be didn't know, there was a good chance no one else did either.

**A/N- Please review! Thanks! ^_^ **


	6. Reprise

**Chapter 5**

**Reprise**

_A/N- I don't know if anyone is actually reading this, I think someone is from the hit count, but I'm sorry for the delay in posting. College is insanely busy and I'm still trying to figure out what the heck is going on most of the time. So yeah, I appreciate your patience and anyone who is reading this, thank you, I really enjoy writing fan fiction (period or I wouldn't be on FFN) and I hope you are enjoying this fan fic. It's slow on the start, but this chapter really gets things going._

_As always, reviews are the best kinds of gifts, I treasure and take into consideration all feedback (as long as it's not flaming). _

_All the best,_

_-Don "QuixoticQuest" _

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It was just like last time. The water had darkened with blood and Nita could hear Kit struggling to get out from under the fallen rocks, his whale song was strained. Then there were the sharks. Nita's vision did a double take then she did the first thing that her body wanted to. It darted in between the sharks that were converging at the smell of blood, and Kit's writhing form.

The sharks, not expecting the sudden ramming, backed up, and did something that anyone who had heard any stories about sharks, would never believe. They blinked and regarded Nita with something close to reverence.

"So it is true, the wizard who our master gave his life for, has returned." The front-most shark, a magnificent blue whale shark said, his teeth showing with some admiration. "After such a song as the last, you have returned, I underestimated the gall of humans. It seems wizards are not as toothless as the rumors say."

_Wizards, toothless?_ Nita thought grimly, _Yeah, right. We're the reason the Master Shark is dead. Or I am, really. It wasn't Kit's fault that I didn't pay attention to the fine print of the Song of Twelve's oath. _

"She is not the one bleeding, G'ieer, let us eat and be gone." The smaller shark, said. It seemed a tad nervous to Nita, for a shark that was suggesting it swim past Nita's bulk to get to Kit. Nita's mind suddenly became cold with dread. Kit.

Nita turned and looked around at Kit, then noticed G'ieer's gaze on her. She wasn't about to waste any time. Nita made a fast swim for Kit. She reached his side and with her head, rammed the rocks off him. Then she pushed him upwards, supporting him as best she could, though his body was so much heavier. S'reee was spacing out in the middle of the water, oblivious to all the events going on around her. Nita now knew that S'reee hadn't brought them here, someone else had. Nita worked faster and soon Kit was blinking up at her.

"Neets?" His voice weakly sang. Nita's face, had it been in human form would have immediately revealed the strain that was tugging at her insides. She pushed any reservations to the back of her mind.

"Kit, don't ask any questions, just take my power," Nita's voice, even in its panic carried its tune smoothly through the water. G'ieer continued to watch her with sober interest. Nita was briefly reminded of the way the Master Shark had regarded her when S'reee had first introduced Nita to him.

"What?" Before Kit could say anything more or process anything Nita had said, Nita said the three words that let all her power transfer to Kit. Then the whole sea rumbled as the water heated up, bubbles rising along with the darkness clouding and swirling around the three wizards and the small mass of sharks gathered, watching with a mix of amazement and apprehension.

Dairine wasted no time in grabbing the backpack she'd packed for the airplane and as the cab arrived at the beach, she ran to the shore just in time to see the water turn from a blue green to a grayish black. Dairine's stomach sank, though her voice had abandoned any form of expression for what she was seeing, her face said it all. Daryll caught up to her and stood on the beach in his swim trunks.

"Hold this," Dairine said, shoving her backpack at Darryl and she waded out into the water. Even though it was still summer the water was freezing, more than normal. It immediately made Dairine stop, Darryl's grip on her arm was the only thing that kept her from being permanently rooted on the spot.

"We can't go in there." He said, his eyes narrowing. Dairine turned to face him, her gray eyes flaring.

"Oh, no," She replied, seeing his expression, "I did not come all the way out here for a stupid little boy to tell me what I can't do." Dairine snapped and pulled out of his grip. Darryl flinched at her insult.

"Hey, look, I don't like this any more than you do, but don't you think for a second-"

"See! That's the problem with you, Darryl, you think too much. It's about time you shut up." Dairine said, not bothering to hide the vehemence evident in her tone. Darryl reinstated his grip on her arm and pulled her back.

"I don't know you that well, Dairine, but that's wasn't you talking just now," Darryl stepped back and then began to mutter a spell. Dairine watched in fascination as the spell took physical form, the light tendrils of the spell reaching out and creating a bubble around both Darryl and Dairine. She raised an eyebrow at Darryl.

"You know, you could have saved me some yelling time and told me you were planning on doing that." Dairine pointed with annoyance.

"Unlike you, I don't voice every little thing that's on my mind." Darryl replied. Dairine snorted, no wonder Darryl didn't have a wizarding partner, the guy was unbelievably obnoxious and not to mention powerful. Dairine's curiosity went to the back of her mind as she quickly reminded herself where she was.

Nita's head snapped around just in time to dodge the black energy that tried to wrap itself around her belly. She flipped around and shot straight at Kit, who was now fully awake from the energy Nita had transferred. She had nothing left. Except one thing, a little energy she kept away for emergencies so even the energy transfer couldn't reach it. Nit hadn't practiced on the college trips for nothing. She leveled with Kit, who was swimming towards her. Nita met his gaze then smiled at him. This would use up the last energy she had. But in the end, it was worth it. A black swirl of energy was now curling around S'reee in an iron grip. The sharks were swimming fast out of the way, but having trouble avoiding the ink-like energy that was slipping into the waves and the lava boiling from the bottom of the ocean. Nita's mind went blank then she spoke the words of the spell she'd been working on for the past minute.

Kit looked at her just in time to yell, "Neets, no!" But he was already encased a beam-me-up-Scotty spell and was dragged away along with S'reee towards the surface. Then the whole ocean erupted, the lava flowing out of every crevice under the ocean. Bits of rock from the broken structures cut Nita's sides and her skin burned. But she was already too weak and half conscious to care. The ocean's underbelly roared and Nita heard the scream of the Lone Power as it released itself from the bonds. Nita swam fast at the power and sunk her teeth into its tendrils. Behind her, G'ieer darted around, crunching the Lone Power in his jaws. Nita's eyes went to his.

"Silent Lord, indeed," He grinned at her in the only way a shark with sophistication could. Nita felt it from the water this shark was the new Master. She released the tendril and then dived straight into the sea of rocks below causing the black energy to implode onto itself. Then the wide black hole turned white and glowing, then all around the power was dragged into the hole and then the sea was silent.

Dairine and Darryl were about to leap into the water when the surface broke and a whale landed on the beach then transformed into Kit. Darryl dropped the spell and followed Dairine at a sprint over to where Kit was lying on the beach, half conscious and bleeding profusely onto the sand.

"Kit, what happened?" Dairine half yelled, she didn't bother to wait for an answer and whipped out her cell phone, she tossed it to Darryl. "Call 911, Darryl." She then started on the best healing spell she could manage while Darryl dialed.

While Kit couldn't see too much out of his blurry eyes and between his roiling stomach and the creeping exhaustion he felt from blood loss, and then the fact that Kit didn't see Nita anywhere, Kit couldn't tell what was worse. He moaned and looked out at the water, it was now back to a blue-green.

Something told him that he should look away, but he didn't. Kit's brown eyes were locked on the water where any second he expected his best friend and wizarding partner to emerge, but she didn't. Sirens rang in his ears but Kit tuned them out. He only took his eyes off the water when he sunk into blackness as a stretcher lifted him away from the beach.

**A/N- Ya, I know it's a short chapter, but the next one should be up this weekend, maybe two if my brain's not farting too much. No pun intended. ^_^**


	7. Ringing Echoes

**Chapter 6**

**Ringing Echoes**

"Nita?" Kit muttered, he saw her up ahead. _Oh, good_, he thought, _she's okay, I thought it was a dream, I guess. Ouch_.

Kit winced and opened his eyes. Nita wasn't next to him. In fact the room he was in was filled with everyone but her. Kit tried sitting up but a searing pain shot through his chest and he lay back down. He now realized where he was. The smell of disinfectant was too potent to not know and Kit had a sensitive nose.

"God, Kit, I thought you'd never wake up," Kit turned his head to look up at his father. Suddenly realizing by the tone and words his father had used, Kit knew that he must've been out for a long time and been in bad shape. It felt that way too. Kit glanced around the room. Dairine sat in the far corner, her form was hunched over and her arms were folded across her chest. Kit met her gaze and for a moment Dairine's expression was one of submission. She shook her head.

"Hey, pay attention, Kit, we haven't been able to speak to you in days and you space out?" Carmela said, waving her hand in front of Kit's face. He blinked again.

"What? Oh, sorry," Kit tried smiling but it hurt too much. It took all of his already sapped strength to not sigh, what would already be an outward sign of his pain. The last thing Kit needed was for his family to inquire about Nita.

"By the way, where's Nita?" Too late, Kit grimaced as Carmela looked around. "I would've thought that she'd be right here when you woke up. Weren't you two doing the wizardry together?" Carmela looked down at Kit who wasn't willing to look his sister in the eyes.

"He's exhausted, no wonder," Kit's mother said, immediately ushering her family towards the door, "Kit, we'll be back tomorrow." She smiled at her son then shut the door quietly behind her. Dairine then took that opportunity to walk over to the now vacant chairs by the bed, though she didn't sit down.

"I want to know, Kit," Dairine said, trying her best not to sound angry or let loose her apprehension, but it wasn't working because her voice cracked, "What happened down there?"

Kit looked down at the white sheets of his bed. "You probably don't want to know." Kit knew he was forced to face the facts, even if Nita wasn't dead, where she was…it was only a matter of time before… he shook the thought from his mind.

"Yes," Dairine insisted, "I do. So tell me, Christopher,"

"Oi!" Kit snapped, "Don't call me that!"

"Then tell me or I'll keep calling you that. Where's Nita, Kit?" Dairine's voice was now hostile. Kit would have found this amusing, the fact that Dairine was threatening someone who was already in a hospital, but he wasn't in the mood to laugh.

"The Lone Power broke loose from its bonds and S'reee was possessed by it." Dairine's jaw went down a little then she shut it and waited for Kit to continue. "Nita noticed it, but I got blasted before she could do anything to stop it. I lost consciousness for a while, then when I woke up again, Nita was telling me she was going to transfer all her power. She did and then the Lone Power came out completely. I don't know how, but with a little more power she managed to get both me and S'reee out of there, then I arrived on the beach alone," He thought about his last word, alone. That was the real truth. His wizarding partner, his best friend, and the most influential presence in Kit's life, was gone.

Dairine on the other hand, wasn't going to sit by and watch Kit drown himself in his angst. "Hey," Dairine flicked Kit's forehead, "Earth to Kit. You just going to sit by and do nothing?"

"What do you expect?" He demanded.

"You to actually give a shit about my sister," Dairine challenged. Kit's eyes flashed.

"Are you saying I don't care?" He was about ready to sit up and face Dairine head on.

"I'm saying you're acting like you've been beaten and you're ready to just give up. To me, that says 'I don't give a shit,' like nothing else." Dairine scowled, "I've been waiting for a sign for someone too, you know. So don't go acting like entropy's taking over when it's not." Dairine then added as an afterthought, "Not until I've given the Lone Power a piece of my mind."

Kit almost felt bad for the Lone Power, Dairine wasn't at the peak of her power anymore but she was still growing in a different kind of strength. Where such a small person got so much power, Kit would never know. "You said you've been waiting for a sign," He looked at Dairine, "Does that mean you have one now?"

"You better believe it," Dairine gave a derisive snort. Kit then remembered Nita talking about how Dairine had gone into a state of severe depression and rarely came out of her room except for errantry and on occasion, school. "Dairine hadn't been that badly withdrawn," Nita had said, "Since our mother died."

Kit wondered if that sheer willpower was the same thing keeping Nita going through that whole period of tragedy. He was sure she still hurt badly now. _Now…_ _Nita was still alive, somehow_, Kit looked over at Dairine. After all Dairine had been through, and Nita, he couldn't just give up_. It's not like the Lone Power has stopped me before, but Nita's always been with me all those times._

"What's it going to be, huh?" Dairine asked.

Kit rubbed his forehead, Dairine could be such a headache, and he wasn't sure how Nita put up with her. Though he had to admit, Dairine could give a good push where it was duly deserved. The Lone Power had never won, and Kit wasn't about to let it start winning now. Even if the odds were infinity to one.

"I take it," Kit raised an eyebrow at Dairine, "You don't care if we get our asses kicked?"

"Been there, done that," Dairine waved a hand to brush aside the comment then smirked, "Glad to have the real Kit back."

Kit grinned genuinely this time. "It's good to be back," He then eyed Dairine carefully, "So what exactly do you have in mind for this rescue?" _I just hope I'm not sorry I asked. Maybe I should have done this on my own. _

_I never thought anything would hurt that much._

_What?_

_This._

_All of this? There's nothing good about it?_

_Well, I'm not alive anymore._

_True, but you're not dead either._

Nita blinked and stared at the almost dreamlike landscape in front of her. _Time Heart. _She turned her head to see a bulky pale form floating, and swimming through the air towards her. _Talk about surreal. _

"Ed." Nit breathed. The shark flicked his eyes down to her.

"Sprat, as much as it pains me to say this, you look distressed," Ed swam through the air around Nita's head then came to face her.

"When am I not distressed, Ed? I'm human." Nita replied.

"That, Sprat," Ed answered coolly, "Is what wizards have to overcome. I, however, will never know what that feeling of joy is. It is not for the Master Shark to be happy, Sprat."

Nita glanced behind the Shark only to become even more unnerved. Behind Ed was an gargantuan shark, at least twice the size of Ed and its jaws enough to eat a good chunk of Ed and swallow Nita whole. This shark was almost transparent it was so pale with two glowing blue eyes regarded Nita without humor or interest.

This was the original Master Shark, here in Time-Heart. To Nita's surprise the voice of the shark wasn't at all cold like Ed's.

"Dai Stiho, Silent Lord of the Song. I trust your journey here went well?"

"Not considering I was sucked into here against my will." Nita replied. The Original Master looked down at her.

"Noorash, this is N!t," Ed said, looking from one to the other. Noorash, the original master shark inclined his head to Nita. Nita returned the gesture but in a fuller bow.

"Well met." Nita said, noting the shark looked at her with, or was it her imagination, concern? Maybe Ed really was the closest to being the original master, he had the closest emotion to the original Master Shark's compassion. Noorash stared at Ed.

"She does not belong here," Noorash stated.

"What are you talking about?" Nita asked, now wondering what the two sharks were doing conversing about her being in Time-Heart.

"You're not dead, Nita," Another voice, this one both painful and sweet to Nita's ears.

"Mom," Nita turned and her heart nearly failed at the sight of her mother looking so peaceful.

"Sweetie, as much as I know you want to see me, you don't belong in Time-Heart."

"But I want to be here with you, Mom!" Nita cried. Ed frowned at the distress in Nita's voice.

"Have a care, Sprat." Ed's cool voice said as he cast a wary glance her way.

Noorash raised his head to look at Nita's mother. "Clearly there is something Nita wishes to say to you, B'ki," Noorash's voice softly sang Nita's mother's name in the speech. It was the best sound Nita had heard in a long time. Nita's voice caught in her throat. _I thought I was over crying about this. _Nita berated herself.

"Oh, Nita, Honey," Nita's mother took a step back as Nita threw her arms around her mother.

"Why can't I just stay here with you?" Nita knew how much like a younger child she sounded but at the moment, she didn't care. This was something she'd been missing in her life these past few years. The hugs her mother gave, the warm words of comfort, and most of all the sound of Nita's mother as she said Nita's name. There was a twinkle and cheering feeling to it.

"Nita," Mrs. Callahan said, getting down on her knees and hugging Nita in the way Mrs. Callahan had when Nita was a child. "You never lost me and you won't ever."

"You said that before but I don't actually see you!" Nita cried. Mrs. Callahan sighed and brushed the hair from her daughter's face.

"You're a strong person, Nita," Mrs. Callahan said with a smile, "I guess I sometimes forget how young you are still."

"I need you back, Mom." Nita said, almost pleadingly. Mrs. Callahan shook her head.

"You're doing just fine on your own, Honey." She stood up and gave Nita another hug. "Right now the world needs its wizards. All of them, and Dairine and your father need you, Nita," Then Nita's mother got a wistful look in her gray eyes, "And Kit needs you."

Nita blinked. "That," Nita said, with a small blush, "I'm not so sure about."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Nita's mother gave Nita a knowing smile. "Eventually."

Nita groaned, knowing how much she missed being teased and lectured by her mother. It never occurred to Nita how much she could miss that, being lectured and interrogated was something Nita never thought she'd want to hear again. But all the same, it was nice.

"Nita, it's time to go," Nita turned to her mother as she had spoken. Something had clamped itself onto Nita's arm. She turned to see her sleeve being pulled by the teeth of a blue shark. G'ieer was swimming beside her.

"Masters," G'ieer inclined his head. Ed and Noorash both returned the gesture. Then G'ieer looked at Nita, "We'd best be off, Young Wizard." His voice was almost warm and Nita found herself sitting on a cold black surface and two people standing over her.

"Well, this is a surprise," The superiority and authority in the tone of the voice made Nita recognize it immediately. Nita looked up at the long haired face of the person Dairine had been searching for. "I was expecting your sister, but I think this works better."

"No one really wants to come here anyways." The second person said.

"Rashaun."

**A/N- Another semi-short chapter, but more is on the way! Please review, danke! **


	8. Tones of Mystery

**Chapter 7**

**Tones of Mystery**

Nita stared up at Roshaun. This boy was the reason Dairine had been suffering, had been withdrawn and had ultimately given up all other aspirations to try to find Roshaun when he was right here in front of Nita's eyes saying he'd rather not see Dairine at all? Nita's hand shot up along with her body as she stood up and she grasped the shirt that Roshaun no doubt had been wearing all this time.

"You are Nita Callahan, correct?" The second person asked, pausing to look Nita in the eyes.

"Yeah, who's asking?" Nita looked over at the second person who was around the same age as Nita and had clean cut white hair. That might have been the most odd thing about him, had this stranger not had electric jade colored eyes and a skin tone that reminded Nita of a smurf though the stranger was a little less, well, blue. It was a pale sky blue hue that toned his skin.

"Oh, she doesn't know yet?" The stranger turned to Roshaun, who had yet to be released from Nita's iron grip on his shirt.

"No, she does not," Roshaun eyed Nita with clear distaste and shook himself free of her grasp, "It seems we did not ask for the right help. She is no better than her sister."

"Watch it," Nita growled at Roshaun, "With the comments about Dairine. Even if you don't like her, I'm not going to sit by and let you insult her."

The stranger's jade eyes flared, "Enough of this." He reached out and with one hand created a barrier that stretched in a neon blue glow between the two bickering wizards. Nita glanced at the boy.

"Who are you?" She asked tentatively, only now remembering what had brought her to this place and briefly wondering why Ed had been in Time-Heart, considering that the Master Shark had never been loved. Except, maybe, by Nita herself if that was at all possible, with a jerk of her head, Nita shook the thought from her mind and refocused her attention on the stranger.

"I'm what you might call," He smiled grimly, "A Pillar."

Nita frowned, "But you know you are, so how?" Nita knew from her readings in the manual that the Pillars, powerful aids to the powers, weren't allowed to become aware of their real identity or risk losing their life and power, or both.

"That's the question isn't it?" The stranger said. "You might have seen from my skin that this place is where those of my talent cannot live without consequences."

"So you're stuck here?" Nita asked in a subdued voice. The stranger smiled at her.

"I wouldn't say it's all that bad. Considering where I was before, this is paradise." He lifted his head to glance at Roshaun. "Roshaun can attest to that."

Nita looked at Roshaun, who had fallen abnormally silent during this whole conversation. "Roshaun?"

He didn't even bother to correct Nita on the fact that she hadn't said his full name. "This is," He swallowed, "One of the dimensions created by the Lone Power. Though this one is not quite as direct, it is still not great." Roshaun stared into space then, which was all there was besides the marble looking black floor below them.

"So the Lone Power trapped us here?" Nita asked. The stranger nodded.

"More or less, I am sure It does not realize yet that you are here, but I cannot say how long that will be for."

Nita's skin crawled and she gulped. A shot of pain came from her side. She looked down. The gashes from the fight under the sea were still there and although they weren't as bad as before, possibly due to Nita's brief excursion to Time-Heart, it was still enough that Nita had to sit down. This drew the attention of both the stranger as well as Roshaun.

"Are you alright?" The stranger asked. Nita grimaced.

"Not really." She said, trying not to let the pain show too much on her features. The stranger knelt down one knee and narrowed his eyes, "Show me your injuries, Nita." Nita moved her shirt so the stranger could examine them. Though Nita felt nothing less than uncomfortable, she soon noticed that the stranger had numbed her pain.

"It is a temporary fix as I do not have as much wizardry here as I might have, but you should be able to move without being in pain." He stood up. Nita nodded her thanks.

"What's your name, you already know mine," She gave him a wary look.

"Polliagdor Hi' Resh Universita deg' Koretome," He replied, "I am, as you might say on earth, not from this galaxy."

"Come on," Nita raised an eyebrow, "Don't give me that bull. Even if you weren't from our side, I'd know where you're from."

"Ah, well, that is probably because I'm not naturally born," He smiled wistfully, "You did not bother to translate what my name means in the speech."

Nita blinked then got to work on translating mentally what the name meant. She then looked up in surprise at the person, or rather, what was some kind of being in front of her. "The Pillar Who is Named and Born of the Powers."

Nita stared blankly at the being in front of her. "It's not possible, the powers…"

"Are able to go into the bodies of living beings, yes? Why not have a Pillar who can be both revealed to others as well as one who is created purely by the Powers directly and not by natural means? Yes, Nita Callahan, I am not what you would call 'living,'" His smile waned on the word 'living' and he started to frown himself.

"Still," Nita said, not quite convinced yet.

"Still what? Just because I was not born from the womb of a mother does that mean I am not a living being who has feelings? I understand if you do not think I am a legitimate living being, but I assure you that I have feelings, Nita Callahan." Polliagdor's eyes flickered for a second with what Nita could tell was hurt.

"I'm not sure what to call you-" Nita began, she had many experiences with beings with elongated names and had shortened them, but experience had also told her it was better to ask before giving a being a nickname.

"Polliagdor is fine," He put in.

"Right, Polliagdor," Nita continued, "I don't know exactly what you've been through, but I can tell you that it's no business of mine how you came into existence in this world. All of us have a difference place we came from. Roshaun is a Prince. I'm an ordinary girl from New York and I've got to worry about college while Roshaun has to worry about his planet being destroyed. But we're all wizards," Nita grinned, "That means no questions asked unless you came from the Lone Power."

Polliagdor grimaced, "I assure you, that One is that last being I'd consider to be my parent because It is not."

"Good, then I've got nothing to say about where you came from," Nita said firmly. She briefly thought about her own family, or rather what was left of it. Her mother was in Time-Heart, that much Nita would have to get used to. Even if it meant letting go of any last hope that Nita could bring her mother back from the place she'd seen not too long ago. Nita bit her lip. Why wasn't her mom living? Why didn't she stay until Nita got her first boyfriend? For her high school graduation? For all the things Nita would have wanted to share with her mother? What should have rightly been a normal thing to have experienced with her mother was painful because Nita's mother wasn't there. Sure Nita knew that her mother was there in Time-Heart, but Nita wanted her mother there when Nita walked up and received her diploma. She wanted her to take too many pictures until Nita blushed with embarrassment and pushed her mother away.

Nita had spent a few minutes silently mulling this over to the point where Polliagdor had been scrutinizing Nita's facial expression with lips twitching and her eyes shifting around furtively.

"It is not easy for anyone to lose one's parent." He said. Nita's head flipped around.

"How-?" Nita's jaw nearly hit the floor. Polliagdor's expression became one of reminiscent pain. He looked away for a moment.

"How indeed?" He said, "I was born of the Powers, but up until now, I was raised as a normal child on a planet in a galaxy not too far from yours. I had parents, and they cared for me as though I was their own. They wanted a simple life," He shook his head, "But my affiliation with wizardry, it was not to be." He stared into the distance, which in their current room was just endless air and space, "When my powers were discovered, there were those who did not want me to remain on the planet lest I bring the Lone Power's attention to us." Again Polliagdor's face contorted, but this time it was in anger, his teeth gritted and the lines on his mouth deepened, "My parents refused to give me up. But that was not what got them killed," He opened and closed his fist. "I used my powers to try to help them do chores and it summoned the Lone Power. It found me. Well, you can guess the rest." He turned his jade eyes onto Nita.

"You've seen it, haven't you?" Polliagdor gave Nita a knowing look.

Nita nodded. "Time-Heart, most people don't see it for years after they are children, but occasionally a wizard can."

"Yes, all of us have seen it. Few of us get to see it again. You are most fortunate to have seen it at the age you are." He turned his head. Nita sighed.

"No, it's not really fortunate, I really felt more pain because I saw my mother again, knowing that I had to leave, it just hurt more." Nita leaned her head in her hands, rubbing her eyes.

"It is best," Roshaun said, speaking for the first time in what could have been hours, but with their surroundings, Nita wasn't sure. "To let the past lie and test the parameters of the future," He paused to straighten up so his voice was more projected, "For it is our past that prevents the future from having a new point of arrival."

"Some kind of proverb from where you're from?" Nita asked. Roshaun's eyes narrowed.

"Yes, all people know that proverb who live on Welkat." Roshaun replied flatly.

"Would it kill you to be nice?" Nita asked, raising her head from her hands.

"I beg your pardon?" He said coolly. Nita grunted.

"Forget it."

"Forget it." Kit said, looking up from the plan Dairine had just laid out.

"What? You don't think it'll work?" Dairine scowled at Kit. They had been working on a plan for hours and Dairine had had it up to her ears with Kit's constant rejections.

"No," He said bluntly, "I _know_ it won't work." He pointed to one piece of the writing that Dairine had done in the speech. "There's no way that won't kill us."

"How do you know?" Dairine demanded, giving Kit her worst glare yet.

"Are you that stubborn that you'd try this and risk dying?"

"You got a better idea, Einstein?" Dairine asked pointedly. "Because I'd just love to hear it."

Kit blinked, then slapped his forehead. He wasn't sure why he hadn't thought of that solution before. "Ponch."

"What?" Dairine said, sitting back as though she'd been slapped.

"Ponch," Kit said with a grin.

"Are you out of your mind? We're trying to come up with an idea to rescue my sister and Roshaun and all you can think about is your dog that's gone AWOL?"

Kit took his turn to glare at Dairine, "Ponch didn't go AWOL, and he's just one of the Powers."

"Oh, right, and that's not AWOL, how?" Dairine raised an eyebrow.

"Never mind." Kit grumbled, he reached into his mind. _Ponch, I need you._

There was a bang and then there was a scratching at the front door downstairs. Kit got up and went down to open the door as a large Border Collie came in.

_You called, Boss? _The Collie said with a tail wag. Kit's eyes didn't quite register that this dog was Ponch, but then he found himself hugging the dog anyways.

"We need your help finding something."

"Or rather someone, two people actually," Dairine filled in. Ponch looked from one to the other.

_Oh? Well, who are we looking for? I need a scent to know._

"That shouldn't be too hard," Kit said with a small grimace, "Because we're looking for Nita." Ponch's ears went down with his tail at that.

_Nita? What happened to Nita?_

"I was hoping you'd know, you know with you being one of the Powers." Kit said, unable to keep the worry from creeping into his voice.

_I dunno, Boss, I'm not one of the heads out there. I'm just the Finder._

"And that's exactly why we need your help, Ponch." Dairine said, "I get the feeling if we find Nita, we'll find Roshaun too."

Ponch licked his lips. _Well, I can try. Can't make any promises. With the Powers being limited, I am too, you know. _

"We know," Dairine and Kit said in unison. Ponch barked in annoyance at the sound.

"Ready to go?" Kit asked, then remembered something that Ponch would most likely ask. Kit groaned even before Ponch said it.

_First let's eat._

**A/N- Thanks for reading! Please review and I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. ^_^**


	9. The Words that Bring the Wind's Whistle

**Chapter 8**

**The Words that Bring the Wind's Whistle**

**A/N- Sorry for the longer than usual delay in postings, I've had some issues with my classes in school (resolved now, but it was a pain the butt while it lasted). So I hope you enjoy the fun chapter (it's got some funny fluff, I don't know how well I'm writing this, so if you can let me know what you think by hitting that lovely button I will be eternally in your debt… well, not really, but you get the idea). ^_^**

**-Don**

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At one point or another, Kit figured he had changed. Maybe it was because he saw the sudden appearance of the hairs on his face, hairs that, if Nita had seen them, Kit was sure she'd laugh at him. He of course had no real rationale for thinking she'd laugh at him, but for some reason, he was afraid of showing anything that might make him appear, well, human.

He didn't want to seem so flawed. That's all he'd ever been really in his own mind. Kit had been an embittered boy when he first met Nita. Her first words aside from introduction and comments on his wizardry were, "Listen, the trees are mad at you."

Trees, Nita had been lecturing him on how _trees_ felt about him. Kit gave an internal snort at the thought_. Sure thing, Kit, she definitely likes you if all she wants to talk about are trees._ He cast a wary glance in the direction of Dairine, who was watching Ponch devour, with vigor, his fourth bowl of dog-food. He wasn't even sure how old the food stored in Nita's kitchen was, but Ponch seemed to have no issue eating it. Not that dog food would be the downfall of a dog gone "AWOL," as Dairine had put it.

_You okay, Boss? _Ponch spoke directly into Kit's mind so Dairine couldn't overhear the answer. Kit mentally thanked his dog for knowing how he felt at the moment.

_As okay as I can be right now._

_You're worried about Nita. _It wasn't a question.

_Yeah, I am. _He admitted, more to himself than to Ponch, who gave a low whine.

_We'll find her, Boss. _Then Ponch got a thoughtful look in his eyes. He grinned at Kit.

_What? _Kit frowned at Ponch. The dog laughed, once again the sound was only in Ponch's and Kit's shared mental connection, but Dairine raised an eyebrow at Kit's lack of coverage for his own facial expression, which made Kit look as though he'd swallowed something sour and then sucker-punched him.

_You're like an open book, Kit. _The voice embodied a stronger presence than the previous one, which was just Ponch. Kit was more clued in to the fact that he was talking to the Power now not because of the power but because Ponch would rarely call Kit anything but "Boss."

_And what would a Power know about human emotions? _Kit inquired wryly. The Power laughed, its knowing gaze stared out of Ponch's eyes.

_Come now, Kit, _The Power said, _If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were ready to go off on your own to find her._

_You're not wrong about that, but why does it matter? _Kit said, resting his head on his hand. His eyes stared off with disinterest.

_Kit, the worst thing a wizard can do is lie about their emotions. _The Power now sounded halfway between Ponch's soft tone and the tone of a well experienced creator of universes.

_Aside from lying about their own identities you mean? _Kit asked sardonically.

_No, they are one and the same. If you lie about how you feel about something that is so carefully woven into your being, then you will ultimately destroy who you are. The longer you deny it and lie about it, the worse it will become. If anything, you need to come clean to yourself about your feelings._

_What feelings? _Kit blurted mentally, _so I happen to like my best friend enough to want to rescue her. Why should that matter?_

_Because that very answer is an understatement._

_Oh really? _Kit turned his head to glare at Ponch, earning a curious stare from Dairine, who had eventually grown tired of the silent conversation and wandered over to the refrigerator to grab some makings for a sandwich.

"Kit, can you wrap this mental talk up? It's really starting weird me out," Dairine shot at him, none too gently Kit thought to himself.

"Sure, one second." He said, and then returned his attention to Ponch.

_Well?_

_Well what?_

_Are you going to make me force it out of you?_

_Force what?_

Ponch sighed out loud. _I could make you say it out loud you know._

Kit scowled deeply, the lines on his face creasing his brow. _You wouldn't._

Ponch lifted an eyebrow, which was really just a tuft of fur above his right eye. _I would, but I'm giving you the chance to admit it here and now so I don't have to do that._

Kit muttered curses under his breath in Spanish before staring at Ponch once again. _Okay, fine. I like her._

_Kit, _Ponch's voice berated. Kit tried not to hold Ponch himself responsible for the sudden interrogation.

He could not believe his dog, his dog gone Power AWOL, was making him mentally confess to his innermost feelings. Feelings, by the way, Kit would rather have left him alone.

_You know it's more than that._

_And how, _Kit demanded, _would you know that?_

_Perhaps because you yourself can't say straight out that you don't like her, can you?_

_Of course not! She's my best friend!_

_You also cannot, _The Power said with Ponch's voice, _outright deny that you don't love her either._

_Well, we all love our friends, don't we?_

_Bull, as you humans would say._

_Ha, _Kit mused_. Are you saying I love Nita?_

_That is exactly what I'm saying._

_Boy, are you ever wrong, _Kit said with a low laugh. Ponch cocked his head to the side.

_Then you would be willing to lose her and move on, no harm done?_

_What?! _Kit's mind mentally jerked itself around, _I just told you: I love her as a friend. Doesn't that say something about me not wanting to lose her?_

_Doesn't the line between love between friends and love between those who love deeper than that often blur? _

_Sometimes, _Kit admitted with a hint of irritation. He couldn't believe that he was actually telling a Power what he was feeling. This was someone's idea of a terrible joke.

"So what's the big secret that you guys can't talk about it out loud, huh?" Dairine finally snapped as she slammed the juice container on the counter. Kit, not thinking, whirled around and in his irritation responded evenly.

"We're talking about the fact that I'm in love with Nita, that's what!" He then caught himself, but the damage was done. Once again he had failed to keep his emotions in check and it had landed him in a place he'd rather not be.

Dairine blinked hard, and then shrugged. "I kind of figured you guys were going to be together eventually."

It was then Kit's turn to blink and stare before responding. "Wait, you knew?"

Dairine arched her brow at him. "Kit, come on. This is my sister we're talking about, and you. Don't think for a second that I don't notice how you look at her or how she stares at you."

Kit looked thoroughly confused. "At me?"

Dairine sighed, "Come on, Kit. You can't honestly say you don't know that she loves you back. You two have been best friends for what, seven, eight years?" She shook her head, "Honestly, if I didn't know any better I'd say that Nita was holding back for your sake."

"My sake?" Kit repeated. "Why would she do that?"

"Powers, Kit, you really are clueless at this stuff," Dairine tut-tutted him; "Nita loves you, that's why. If she thought you were in love with someone else, she'd put aside her own feelings so you could be happy," Dairine glared at him, "That's why she hasn't said anything. She doesn't want to ruin the friendship you guys have."

Kit opened his mouth then shut it. _So that's why Nita was saying all that stuff back when we were swimming with S'reee_. Kit hit his face with his palm.

"I was waiting for that." Dairine said casually as she put the peanut butter back into the refrigerator.

"You're a real pain, you know that?" Kit said to her. Dairine frowned.

"You should be thanking me for telling you how Nita feels. Otherwise you two would be dancing around this for another ten years before you came to your senses."

Kit was left speechless. He didn't know exactly what to say. Nita did love him back, but who knew how long it would be before they were together and not to mention Kit wasn't sure he could say anything to her even if he wanted to. It was just that hard to find the words to say when the person you were talking to was sharp witted and always articulated things… well, better than Kit knew he could anyways.

Kit let out a long sigh. He was back at square one.

Nita turned her head to the side. They had been the other world space for what seemed like hours, but she couldn't tell how long it had been since she arrived. Nita could only think what Kit must be doing. He was probably worried. _Nah, Kit wouldn't worry. He's too calm for that kind of thing. _Nita looked over at Roshaun and Polliagdor who were sleeping on the cold dark floor. Nita had her back against the dark sleek wall of the space but wasn't able to sleep,_ but still, _her thought continued, _Kit's bound to do something drastic if I don't get back home soon_. Nita knew that Kit's ideas weren't exactly the most logical kind when he was under stress. But who was to say he was even stressed about her sudden disappearance? It was entirely possible that he wouldn't miss her at all.

After all, he liked someone else. He just thought of Nita as a best friend, and that was it.

_So why can't I accept that?_ Nita asked herself, not really expecting an answer, though despite her expectations she got one.

_I assume that's because you, despite what Kit feels, retain what you feel. _Nita's head jerked in surprise at Polliagdor, who was now walking over to her. She stared at him.

"It would be best if you didn't think too much around here, it's dangerous_._" Polliagdor said quietly so as to not wake up Roshaun. Nita nodded silently. "Do you want me to offer my opinion?"

"If you want to," Nita said with a small sigh. Polliagdor regarded her carefully.

"This Kit, is he a friend of yours?" Polliagdor looked at Nita with curiosity. Nita drew her knees up to her chin.

"Yeah, my best friend."

"Ah, best friends. There is something I could have used more of," He smiled at Nita, "They are something you can never get enough of, but are hard to find."

Nita nodded, "Yeah, they are."

"You found Kit, though, yes?" Polliagdor asked, his wistful smile creeping onto his face. She nodded. "Then I believe your answer is simple."

Nita blinked. "What?" If it was so simple, why didn't she know what to do?

"Oh, is it not easy? Telling the one you like how you feel?"

"It's the hardest thing you can do, Polliagdor," Nita said with another sigh. He looked thoughtful.

"Interesting, on my planet it is simple," He then straightened. "Can't you just tell him you like him?"

"That would be easy if it were the truth," Nita replied quietly. Polliagdor looked confused.

"You do not like him?" He asked, frowning.

Nita laughed a little, "No, I don't like him, Polliagdor," She paused before finishing, "I love him."

Polliagdor's eyes sparkled with recognition, "Ah! Now I understand. It is much harder to talk about love than it is to talk about liking someone," He rubbed his chin, "Most interesting." He turned to Nita once again as she spoke.

"Because loving someone entails something more permanent than just liking someone or crushing on them. It's more painful too," Nita explained.

Polliagdor nodded, "I am not unfamiliar with love, Nita Callahan," He grimaced, "For I have once had love not too unlike yours."

Nita's eyes widened then narrowed. "A best friend?"

"Yes," Polliagdor nodded, "For many years. We had grown up together long before the Lone Power attacked. She was always supporting me and backed me up at every turn. But I never did tell her how I felt. I thought about it, yes, but it never occurred to me that I might lose the chance altogether."

Nita's insides wound themselves into a knot of emotions as Polliagdor said, "Lose the chance altogether."

"I really don't want to stay here," She said out loud. Polliadgdor's eyes filled with sympathy as he nodded.

"None of us do. But for now we must endure as wizards always have," He cast a glance at Roshaun whose eyes were open, and Nita could only guess for how long they were.

"You guys don't get much sleep around here, do you?" She said, though she already knew the answer.

"No. I haven't slept in years," He shifted to lean against the wall, "You adjust to it."

Nita didn't relish the prospect but she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep as long as the Lone Power's presence surrounded every ounce of the space they were in. She watched the eyes of Roshaun growing heavier but the fear and uncertainty building in his eyes told Nita that he wouldn't allow himself to fall asleep. More accurately, his body constantly shifted so he could glance around him.

Nita sighed and leaned her head back. What would Kit do in a situation like this? He'd figure out some way to get out or at the very least he would have some kind of logic that would keep Nita's spirits high. _Being here would be so much easier Kit were here_, she thought. Then she cast the thought and all other thoughts aside. As strange as it was, she knew she couldn't think about anything personal because otherwise the Lone Power would become more aware of their position.

They were literally in the lion's den and breathing the air the Lone Power had birthed Itself for the space. Nita winced. The Lone Power had killed her mother and Nita was almost sure It could kill her too if It wanted to. After all, Nita was now isolated. Such thoughts were forgone since all of them lead to the danger of discovery. There were few people Nita wanted to find her as well as Roshaun and Polliagdor, and she really didn't want any of them to get stuck here as well. So maybe it was better that they forget about her.

_Don't come, Kit. _She thought strongly, hoping he could hear at least that much. Polliagdor seemed to hear some of her thoughts due to the structure of the space they were in, and shot her a warning. But Nita was already done. Whether or not Kit had heard her, she was done. She wasn't about to give anyone she cared about any way to get to where she was. It wasn't worth the risk.

Kit picked his head up abruptly from the plan he was outlining as he heard a familiar voice in his mind, _don't come, Kit, _it said.

_Neets? _He called, trying to reach her mind, but came up with nothing. Kit found himself a little more disturbed than he had been before. More than anything he knew he had to find Nita and find her fast.

**A/N- Thank you for reading and for being patient while I write each of my posts for this story. As always I appreciate feedback, so please don't fear the button! =)**


	10. Rave Beat as Hope Fades

**Chapter 9**

**Rave Beat as Hope Fades**

_A/N- Yah! Back sooner than I thought I'd be! Plus I've got a chapter here for anyone reading this here YW story. Oh, just a warning, it's got a much darker tone than the last chapter. Enjoy! ^_^_

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Nita woke up from what she thought was a normal sleep only to find she had been thrown halfway across the space, since it really wasn't a room at all even with its walls, and gained a thoroughly painful headache.

Nita pushed herself up, wincing as her head throbbed. There in the center of the space was the dark form of the very last being Nita wanted to see. She glanced over at Polliagdor and Roshaun who were already awake and on their feet.

"Greetings and defiance," Polliagdor said in unison with Nita and Roshaun in the Speech. The Lone Power turned its head.

"Don't give me that. You know where you are now and as it just so happens, it will stay that way."

"You wish," Nita snapped. The Lone Power turned to face Nita.

"Excuse me?" It said, a falsely polite tone covering its clear anger.

"I said you wish. None of us are vulnerable or," She glanced at Polliagdor, "Weak."

The Lone Power laughed, "You always seem to take the optimistic view, Nita Callahan. I wonder why when your loss is the greatest of all of those gathered here."

Nita frowned at that statement. "My loss? You know what? I think you just upped my view of how disgustingly cruel you are. Nobody's loss is greater or less than another's." Nita's eyes flared, "Even mine."

The Lone Power was clearly still in its element because it smiled serenely. "Then why is it that you still fear me?" Nita took that moment to clear her mind of any thoughts, though it didn't do much good in the way of hiding that she was in fact afraid, but not of the Lone Power itself. Polliagdor glanced at Nita who had still not responded then spoke for all of them.

"We do not fear you, Destroyer of the Village," Polliagdor stated. The Lone Power stared at Polliagdor for a moment.

"Ah, you are one of the survivors of that village I destroyed, are you?" It looked pleased with itself. "A fine job I did, one of the most thorough obliterations," It then narrowed its eyes a little, "Or so I thought."

Polliagdor gritted his teeth and glared fiercely at the Lone Power. "My village would never have fallen had I more experience."

The Lone Power's energy flared then diminished, "You? How could you have defied me? You're a half power, a barely grown fledgling imitation of the true powers. There was nothing you could do, One Who is Cursed with the Blood of the Powers," The Lone Power spoke another name, but the Speech used was still Polliagdor's name. _So he has many names like the Powers do_, Nita thought.

The Lone Power then returned its gaze to Nita. "So, you think there is a way out of here, I would like to know where it is."

"Why?" She looked coldly back at It, "So you can seal it?"

The Lone Power laughed again, "No, so I can throw you out of it," Its expression turned sour, "Anywhere you leave from here goes into another of my worlds and thus I cannot get rid of you altogether."

Nita's lips twisted into a wry smile, "So we're stuck with you."

The Lone Power returned the smile but more coldly, "It would appear so. But I have already planned for a situation like this." It drew something in the air with Its hand then moved back as a glowing red ring appeared floating in the center of the space.

"This ring absorbs any power that approaches it," The Lone Power said, "Except for mine." It looked over at Polliagdor, who seemed to be getting steadily more wobbly and his face contorted. "Yes, it would affect you, wouldn't it?" The Lone Power smiled. "It has been absorbing all the control that the other Powers have over the world or the galaxy." The Lone Power turned to Nita. "Your friend Kit lost his wizardry abilities did he not?"

Nita's breath went in sharply and only came out with her next words, "No, he just decided not to use them."

The Lone Power shook Its head. "No, he was losing his powers same as all the wizards on earth, except for you, Nita Callahan."

Nita looked taken aback, "Me?"

The Lone Power scowled, "Yes, because your mother's foolish attempt to protect you left me unable to take your powers away. Though I have tried to figure out why, I cannot." The Lone Power's energy flared once again then it cooled. "But now that you're here, I have nothing to worry about." It grinned. "You are here and cannot leave."

Nita raised an eyebrow. Was that all It had to say? "That was probably the most unconvincing argument I've ever heard." Nita said in a bored tone. The Lone Power flicked its eyes to her personally.

"There is something I did not yet mention," It said, making Nita's eyes regard It warily. "When wizards lose their wizardry the power returns to the Powers themselves," The Lone Power's facial expression turned to one of disgust. "I do not gain any of it," It smiled then, "But now that I've absorbed enough wizardry that would have gone to the other Powers, I can alter what I wish of the Powers on Earth."

Nita sighed, "That sounds great, but I don't get how me being here helps you." Not that Nita actually cared because she was too busy thinking about all the ways to blast the Lone Power into bits. A goal, no doubt, that Kit would have considered before Nita did. But desperate times called for desperate measures.

The Lone Power shot her an annoyed glance before returning its attention to the general group, "I am sure you have realized by now that you cannot use wizardry while you're here."

Nita frowned but continued to remain firmly confident, "So?"

"So you cannot do anything to stop me from doing what I did to Polliadgor's planet," It smiled an ironic grin, "To yours."

Polliagdor winced at that. Nita looked over at Polliagdor. "What happened to it? I thought you said the Lone Power attacked your planet?"

Polliagdor looked at her with anguish painted on his every feature, "It did. But it removed all the wizardry from it first then set about destroying all the life on it."

Nita's insides boiled. She couldn't believe something so dirty was done by the Lone Power. No wait, she could believe it. After all the Lone Power had killed Nita's mother and had done countless other things that Nita could deem unethical.

"Why not just suck my power out right now?" She challenged. It smiled at her.

"Oh, but I can use you as a bargaining tool for the other Powers," It grinned, "All of you can be." The Lone Power waved Its hand once more and immediately Nita felt her knees buckle. All the power in her body had just drained. Polliagdor was lying on his chest, unconscious and Roshaun was leaning against the wall, trying to stand.

The Lone Power then shot a blast of energy at Roshaun, slashing him across the chest, and he crumpled to the floor. Nita glanced up as the Lone Power aimed Its hand at her too.

"The other powers have not given me my own planet, so They will lose one of Their own one by one until they do give me one," The Lone Power smiled and shot Nita once. She didn't go down but was now bleeding from a freshly opened gash in her ribs. It shot again and her wounds from the battle under the sea reopened. Nita bit down hard, trying not to pass out or show the pain shooting through her entire body on her face. The Lone Power continued to bombard her with attacks until it walked over to look straight into her gray eyes.

"Even here your foolish mother's protection still shields you," It growled, "For a non-wizard, she had enough power to protect most of the earth," It raised Its hand once more, "I imagine you know by now that the Powers entrusted some non-wizards with powers like your mother's. But if the ones she is protecting is no longer alive," It smiled a bitter smile, "Your choice, Nita Callahan, is to allow me to use your powers or you as well as your family will be the first to die in my scourge of Earth."

"What does it matter?" Nita spat, she felt the metallic taste of blood in her throat, "We'll all die anyways?"

It shook Its head, "No, if you use your powers to aid me, you will help me to gain the favor of the Powers by doing so and thereby buy time for your planet until one is given to me by the Powers to control." The Lone Power regarded Nita with something akin to sympathy though Nita doubted that's what it was.

"I'd lose everything if I helped you," She said coldly, "Nobody would look at me the same and I'd lose my wizardry in the end because I'd no longer be willing to do anything if it'd destroy what I've been trying to build all this time."

The Lone Power sighed, "That is the naivete of you wizards speaking. You cannot simply lose your wizardry by giving up on it. Because you are always protecting and serving the world even if you betray that which is closest to you," The Lone Power's hand now glowed a dark violet color.

"Your death now would only serve to upset the balance," The Lone Power said. Nita glanced over her shoulder at Polliagdor who was now regaining consciousness. She couldn't betray them, anything she did while under the Lone Power's control would be futile. But then there were the words that her mother said, "You're not dead, Nita."

_But I'm going to be either way. Because betraying everyone would kill me, _She smiled painfully, _there's always time-heart._

Nita turned her head up and glared straight at the Lone Power. Polliagdor raised his head a fraction to see Nita's mouth opening.

"No," She said. Then the blast struck her and the force sent her limp body backwards against the wall where it crumpled and lay still.

"Nita!" Polliagdor cried, scrambling to his feet. He turned his head to look at the Lone Power who was scrutinizing Nita as she lay there.

"I will defend what is left of Earth," Polliagdor stated, "I am one of the outer pillars of the galaxy. I greet and will destroy you." He said, and his entire body seemed to draw of the energy around him. The Lone Power turned Its head slowly and then shot a beam of energy at Polliagdor. He formed a barrier in the time it took the energy to reach him and then the energy bounced off and sunk into the wall.

By this time Roshaun was also up and was limping his way over to Nita's side. He lifted her as he kneeled down and examined her. Nita's entire body was visually too destroyed for Roshaun to even try to find the words to describe it, nor did he even want to. With a shaking hand, he felt for a pulse on her wrist.

There was none.

Kit pulled the final draft of the map they'd devised based on Ponch's and the Power's calculations and knowledge. They were now making their way through the other universes and world's that Ponch knew of. As the Finder, Ponch knew quite a bit about other worlds. He was also the most strange dog that Kit had ever encountered and that was even before he'd discovered that Ponch was a Power.

Ponch cast a wary glance around the world they were trekking through, it was once with abstract objects that were transparent floating through it and then there were clouds. Kit could only guess who invented this world and why.

Ponch gave a low whine. Kit turned his head sharply. "What's wrong?" He felt a tug on the leash that he'd brought along to tie himself and Dairine to Ponch so they wouldn't get lost. It was the same kind that Kit had used when rescuing Daryl from the Lone Power a while back.

"I'm not sure," Ponch said, his ears drooping, "But I'm getting a strange scent from Nita."

Kit and Dairine exchanged looks of fear and anxiety. Kit almost didn't want to ask what he eventually did a minute later after thinking about the consequences, "What's wrong with the smell?"

Ponch closed his eyes then reopened them, "It's a bad smell, Boss. I don't know if I'm entirely sure what it is yet."

_Either that or Ponch really doesn't want to tell me what it is. Because he's afraid of what that could mean for all of us, _Kit thought to himself.

"Well, you still have the scent, right?" Dairine asked. Ponch wagged an affirmative with his tail.

"Yeah, but I'm still getting mixed smells, so it's getting more difficult to pin-point Nita's alone," He then started forward again, the leash was split at the end so both Dairine and Kit could hold onto the end opposite to Ponch's.

As they reached the end of the world they were in, Ponch's tail went up, a sign of aggression on his part. Kit's mind switched to the first attack spell he could think of.

"We're close to the worlds of the Lone Power," Ponch said. He glanced back at Kit and Dairine, "If we go in here, I might not be able to pull any of us out."

"You're a Powers aren't you?" Dairine asked Ponch, "Why can't you pull us back out?"

Ponch regarded Dairine carefully, "The Lone Power doesn't operate under the rules or the codes of the other powers," He replied. "His worlds don't allow anything out that goes in."

Kit stepped forward and leveled with Ponch. "I'm going in there, if you're sure that's where Nita is." He looked down at Ponch.

"She is, but, Boss, what if you can't get out? I can because I'm a Power, but-" Kit scratched Ponch lovingly behind his ears then ruffled his fur.

"Listen, Ponch, if we can't get out, you have to go find the other Powers and let them know what's going on and where we are," Kit said. Dairine nodded her agreement.

"Understand, Poncho?" Kit asked. Ponch bobbed his head but his eyes showed his clear misgivings and fear. They then stepped forward as Ponch opened a hole in the world they were I, and then they all stepped into a much darker space. One with sleek black walls and a floor that was much the same with its glossy texture and absorbent qualities that made Kit and Dairine shiver upon stepping foot onto it.

Kit's eyes darted to the side as a blast hit the wall nearest to his left arm. He jumped to the side as it flared and then vanished.

"Out of the way!" A voice called and Kit leapt aside as another blast struck the wall again and a blue faced humanoid looking creature with white hair. Jade eyes glanced at Kit, only now registering that he was here.

"Powers, more wizards?" He then noticed Ponch. "Finder! What are you doing here?"

Ponch's eyes grew sharp as the Power took over once more, "Looking for someone."

That was when Dairine spotted Roshaun. "Roshaun!" She called and ran over to him, Kit noticed the form lying next to Roshaun and ran over himself.

As they both reached Roshaun, Kit's mind gave out along with any hopes he'd had in his heart. "Nita," Her name barely escaped his lips. Kit's knees gave out and he took to cradling her head. Roshaun was now standing next to Dairine, who was lecturing him over his injuries when she noticed Nita. No words came to the ever snarky worded Dairine or the confident Kit Rodriguez at that moment.

Then they turned to look at the Lone Power who was still attacking the other creature with vigor. Kit gathered his strength and stood up, gently laying Nita's head back down on the floor.

"Greetings and Defiance," Kit snarled before shooting a large amount of energy at the Lone Power and sending it into a wall. Dairine too was readying her wizardry and Roshaun was trying his best to remain calm but Dairine's clear anger radiated too sharply for him to say anything.

Ponch was the only one who seemed to be holding back his powers. The Finder was surveying the Lone Power. _We should get help, _Ponch told the Finder. It agreed silently.

_We will. Our brother cannot continue to do this. _With that the Finder and Ponch vanished from the space.

**A/N- Please don't flame!! It's going to get better, I promise. This is probably the darkest moment of this story (it really does get lighter hearted, but not right away, but it will!!!). Keep reading, I promise it'll improve!! **


	11. Two Hearts in One Voice Always with Eac

**Chapter 10**

**Two Hearts in One Voice, Always With Each Other**

_A/N- If I ruined anyone's day by writing the depressing last I humbly apologize and hit myself with my computer (well, not quite since that would probably hurt but you get the idea). _

_I've been brainstorming for this next chapter and I've finally got a handle on what's going to happen, so brace yourselves for some wacked out (but not depressing) adventure!!_

_-Don =) _

For Kit the nightmare was never ending. He'd come all this way to a place he knew he wasn't likely to return from to find his best friend, and if he could find it in himself, tell her exactly how he felt. He'd run the scenarios through his head several times, how she'd react, even though Dairine had told Kit that Nita felt the same way, Kit was nerve wrecked.

Upon entering the worlds of the Lone Power Kit saw Roshaun leaning over someone. Until he ran over Kit wouldn't have believed what he'd seen. He still didn't. Even though he'd seen Nita's lifeless body, held her head in his hands and felt the lack of breath coming from her mouth and lips, he was too shocked to process it all.

Dairine fared no better. She was busy blasting the Lone Power over and over again with her raw power, power that was less than what she'd begun with in her Ordeal but still enough to give the Lone Power a run for Its money. Kit couldn't blame her, but he had lost the energy to fight after only five minutes. It wasn't from using too much wizardry either. It was simply because Kit had lost the will to move forward. He'd just lost the reason he'd come all this way, he'd lost the best friend he'd ever had, and the only person to understand him the way he wanted anyone to. He wouldn't ever be close to anyone that way again, that much he was sure of.

He backed away from the firefight going on between Dairine, Roshaun, the strange smurf looking alien, and The Lone Power. Kit made his way over to Nita. She was still lying still against the cold black floor. As soon as he neared her body, he felt his knees give out. He hit the floor with enough force to bruise his knee caps, but he didn't care.

It was all coming to him now. She wasn't going to get up and smile at him the way she always did, she wasn't going to laugh at his lack of coordination or how stupid she thought he'd look in a cap and gown at his graduation. Nita would never see him graduate and he'd never see who she'd become as they became full adults.

Kit's throat seized up and he bit down hard on his lip, the blood trickling down. He reached over and grasped Nita's hand. It was already starting to feel cold and stiff. He couldn't be sure how long she'd already been dead when he arrived, but it was too late either way. Without warning his control was gone and tears flowed involuntarily from his eyes. He promised himself he wouldn't cry, he wouldn't, he wasn't weak like that, Kit knew he wasn't. So why was this so hard to fight down?

He used his free hand to wipe his wet cheeks and then he reached over and touched Nita's cheek with his hand. Why did it have to end this way? Without any hope of leaving, without any chance of returning to a normal life because the only normal life Kit knew was one where he was doing wizardry with his partner, his partner who was dead.

Suddenly the air imploded and Kit's eyes turned abruptly to face the array of five figures standing behind Ponch. Four of them Kit immediately recognized as the Powers and then there was one of them that he frowned at.

"You are always getting into some mess, aren't you?" Ronan stated with a cool glance in the direction of the battle. Kit bit back his retort since he knew that Ronan was here because Ponch asked him, and the Other, to help.

"By Karvak what has happened here?" The other newcomer Kit didn't recognize stepped forward. The face was slightly humanoid but the color of his skin was a brownish red and his eyes were a bright silver to go along with his silver colored hair. The alien walked over to Kit.

"You see what I told you, Harran is true." Ponch said, or rather the Finder said. Kit backed away as the alien knelt next to Nita. Then he turned his head to look at Kit.

"You," He said, "You defeated the Lone Power in the City on High, and your partner too," The eyes of the alien changed color to blue as his hand moved over Nita's forehead. "There is power yet to be had here. What is the Law of Time-Heart is the law of life. We must hurry." The alien stood up and then moved towards the Lone Power and with a swift motion of his hand created a swirl of silver colored energy and propelled it towards the Lone Power who was tangled in it then pushed through the wall with such force that the whole world faded into the surroundings of Earth. Kit moved back over to where Nita was and held her close to his chest. The alien turned to the Powers.

"You have done your part. I now need Kit's help on Mars," He looked over at Kit, "I can revive your friend for it is what Karak wills."

Polliagdor rose from where he'd landed on the ground and walked over with Dairine and Roshaun at his heels.

"Mars?" Kit asked. He blinked. Why hadn't he noticed it before? This was a Martian, a living Martian, no doubt he had to be dense to not notice the coloring of the Martian's skin or the fact that the Martian, upon landing on Earth had shape-shifted his skin to that of a human being.

"Are you willing to help us?" The Martian asked. Kit glanced down at Nita. He couldn't make it through life without knowing she'd be with him. _Nita... we're partners, we're best friends, that means I have to keep whatever we've got together. It's my fault for not being with her from the start. _

Kit sighed deeply. "Yes, I'll come."

_Bang. _More air imploded. Carl and Tom were now right next to Kit, who was holding Nita in his arms.

"Kit, what-?" Carl began but Tom held out an arm as he noticed Nita.

"Dai Stiho cousin," Tom said to Harran. "I heard of your arrival, I apologize that we were not here on time."

Harran looked over at Tom and Carl, "No worries, Seniors of Earth," Kit noted the straightforward translation the Martian was using in the Speech of Tom and Carl's title as wizards. He looked at Tom and Carl carefully.

"Kit," Tom said slowly, "You do realize that if you leave now, you're on your own. Roshaun and Dairine already have an assignment." Tom watched Kit's expression. Polliagdor came forward.

"If I may, Senior," He said, "I can go with him to Mars. I have not had an assignment for years."

Carl frowned for a second then realization dawned on him, "You're a Pillar, no wonder the Powers are here."

Polliagdor nodded, "The only Pillar to be known by all but purposefully so. But right now the pressing matter is to help Nita," His eyes regarded Nita's limp form with worry and anxiety. "With your permission, Seniors, I will go as well to Mars."

Carl shrugged, "You're not under anyone's jurisdiction since you're technically a Power yourself."

Tom nodded his agreement. "Finder, you should go too." He glanced at the Finder who with Ponch's eyes seemed meditative. He moved forward and pressed his nose against Nita's hand that was hanging down.

"Boss?" Ponch questioned out loud in the Speech.

"If you want to come, Ponch," Kit said, trying to keep his voice from breaking. His joy at seeing his dog again was overwhelmingly wonderful, yet the feel of Nita's cold body against him had broken the stream of warmth spreading through Kit's veins.

"She's important to both of us, Boss," Ponch said, again using the Speech. "We have to help her." His whine caused Kit's heart to constrict to the point where Kit could only nod. He nodded at Tom and Carl then with a bang of air, Ponch, Kit, Harran, Polliagdor, and Nita were gone.

Carl turned to Tom. "We'll have to thank Harran for temporarily taking care of the Lone Power for us."

"I get the feeling we won't have to." Tom replied his voice distant, and Carl followed his gaze to where Dairine was talking to Roshaun.

"We must return to Wellakh," Roshaun was saying, "My parents must be worried."

Dairine covered her initial tension at that statement with her usually annoyed face that she used, "About that, Roshaun. Your parents thought you were dead. I went to them myself to tell them."

Roshaun blinked, an unusual action for him and for someone from his planet, "You did?" He stared contemplatively at her. "Why would you do that?"

"I don't know," Dairine replied honestly. Roshaun stared at her for a moment before inclining his head.

"You have my gratitude, Dairine, for that," He then turned his head as Carl and Tom made their way over, having sensed the personal conversation between Roshaun and Dairine was over.

"We've got an assignment for you two when you get back from Wellakh, so don't get too comfortable."

Dairine rolled her eyes, "On Wellakh? Comfortable? Never gonna happen." She flicked her red hair behind her head and started the beam-me-up scotty spell to take both herself and Roshaun to the crossings.

"Ready?" She looked at him.

"I believe so." For second Dairine could have sworn she heard the hesitation in his voice but then cast the thought aside and then the air imploded leaving Tom and Carl on the sidewalk alone.

"Well," Tom said with a sigh, "Looks like we'd better bring in the cavalry if we're going to finish what Harran started."

Carl rubbed his chin, "Who are we going to ask?"

Tom arched his brow, "Us, who else? We're the Seniors, remember?"

Carl laughed, "Right. Let's get on with it then shall we?"

Tom brightened, "After you." He gestured and Carl prepared the spell and took them straight home to prepare for whatever would come next.

**A/N- Da-dun! Fin for the first part. As you might have guessed the next part will begin when "A Wizard On Mars," comes out. I'm basing the storyline around the book (loosely because I've already made my own ideas up, but the sequel to this story, titled "In Rainbows" will begin after AWOM is release and I read it- which won't be too far apart since I read quickly). **

**I hope you enjoyed the first half of the story, and look for the sequel in April!!**

**Thanks to ObeliskX for your reviews!! =) **

**You all rock and don't forget that! **

**I'll be posting the A/N for the sequel so you can story-alert it so that when the sequel comes out you'll know right away. **

**-Don ^_^**


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